Study

Procurement Barometer 2026:

From AI Potential to Reality

Where do mid-sized procurement teams actually stand today?

Automation and AI are firmly on the agenda. Projects are underway, budgets are being set, expectations are high. But day-to-day reality tells a different story.

The Procurement Barometer 2026, conducted with the German Association for Supply Chain Management, Procurement and Logistics (BME) and ESB Business School, takes a closer look at how procurement organizations operate today and what separates initiatives that deliver results from those that stall.

The study cuts through the noise around digital procurement. It shows which technologies are truly in use, where companies are seeing tangible progress, and where gaps continue to hold them back.

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Key Findings From the Study

Procurement knows where it wants to go, execution isn’t keeping up.

94.9%

expect the role to change. Only 6% say their use of AI is mature..

64.8%

cite limited time and staffing as their biggest constraint. Digital initiatives are moving forward, but in day-to-day operations, they often hit capacity limits.

70.1%

identify supplier management as the area with the greatest need for digitalization. This is where complexity and risk tend to build up..

76.5%

already see measurable time savings from automation. The impact is strongest in stable, well-defined processes with minimal manual work.

60.1%

identify the biggest skills gap in data management and in working with AI outputs. Many organizations struggle to interpret results correctly and turn them into sound decisions.

Source: Procurement Barometer 2026 | Onventis, BME & ESB Business School

About the Procurement Barometer

In its 8th edition, the study focuses on a core issue: digital initiatives are advancing, but priorities on the ground are shifting.

It shows how procurement teams in mid-sized European companies actually operate today. Which tools they use. Where they still struggle. And where real improvement is possible.

The goal is clear: help procurement leaders turn digital ambition into real capability. Understand how mature procurement really is, which trends matter right now, and how to build a function that is both digital and sustainable.