5 Top B2B Procurement Challenges and Trends for 2025

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Once viewed as a purely operational necessity focused on cost reduction and ensuring supply, procurement has stepped into the strategic spotlight and is impacting overall corporate strategy and growth. No longer a back-office function, procurement continues to become a critical driver of competitive advantage, innovation and sustainable growth.

Amazon Business explores procurement’s increasingly-important role—and the challenges that come along with it—in its new 2025 State of Procurement Data: The Smart Business Buying Report. The report delves into the top 2025 business imperatives with a focus on B2B procurement. Here are five top findings from it:

There are roadblocks and historical stereotypes to break through. While over half of respondents (59%) to Amazon Business’ survey expect their 2025 procurement budgets to grow, many still struggle to overcome perceptions that procurement isn’t a strategic organizational function. Longstanding challenges may hamper innovation and include efficiency and complexity; costs and budgets; and supplier relationships, each of which presents a barrier to evolving procurement’s impact in the year ahead.
There’s room for optimization. The survey respondents almost universally agree that there’s room for optimization in their procurement operations. “To support operational enhancements, it will be key to generate stronger data, insights, and analysis over the next year or two, according to 64% of decision-makers and 73% of senior leaders,” Amazon Business says in the report. “The increasing importance and visibility of AI-powered experiences and data analytics practices highlight the sector’s shift toward a more proactive and value-added role in driving organizational growth and resilience.”
Supplier partnerships rule. Procurement teams’ ability to focus on strategic goals while staying compliant hinges on having suppliers prepared to act as true partners. Many procurement teams are turning to external support to manage complex operations: 72% for strategic activities, 66% for transactions and 46% for tech support. “However, some of procurement’s biggest challenges also stem from the suppliers to which they outsource,” the report notes, “specifically, suppliers’ inability to support digital procurement and a lack of clear communication and support from suppliers.”
Impactful purchasing rises in importance. Amazon Business says new procurement priorities are emerging, driven by digital transformation and the need for stronger collaboration between procurement and other business units. Responsible purchasing remains top of mind, it adds, with a clear majority of decision-makers (80%) saying their organizations have mandates or goals for working with certified suppliers. “Respondents are most interested in funneling even more purchases to suppliers that follow sustainable practices, followed by local and small businesses,” the report says.
Supply chain disruptions remain top of mind. According to the report, supply chain disruptions and delays are top concerns for procurement professionals right now, with one-third of respondents identifying these issues as a “major risk.” Survey respondents also point to increased competition and inflation as key challenges over the next two years. “Additionally, new regulations and laws present ongoing hurdles that procurement teams must navigate,” Amazon Business says, “further complicating their efforts to build resilient supply chains.”

Other Key Points of Concern

Digital transformation is another point of concern for procurement departments. The proliferation of AI, difficulties integrating new technologies with existing systems and cybersecurity threats are all rising concerns. “In fact, cybersecurity is now considered one of the top risk factors alongside inflation,” it adds, “as organizations recognize the increasing vulnerability of their digital procurement infrastructures.”

According to the 2025 State of Procurement Data report, today’s procurement teams navigate both traditional and new challenges, such as supplier relationships and technological adoption, while aiming to streamline operations overall. “Insights from nearly 3,500 leaders indicate that digital transformation and AI-powered data analytics are central to achieving operational efficiency and strategic impact,” Amazon Business says. “However, a lack of full inclusion in top-level decision-making forums highlights an opportunity for procurement to further elevate its organizational influence and impact.”