How the Major Multiples Are Changing Their Buying Structures in 2026

The major multiples are restructuring how they buy, and FMCG commercial teams that were built around the old model are already feeling the strain. Tesco's move toward category-led buying, Sainsbury's consolidation of trading and category functions, and the accelerating influence of Aldi and Lidl on ranging decisions have materially changed what a high-performing National Account Manager or Commercial Director needs to deliver in 2026.

Key Takeaways

• Tesco's category-led buying structure now requires FMCG suppliers to present commercial proposals in terms of category growth rather than brand volume, fundamentally changing the competency profile of the NAM role.
• Sainsbury's consolidation of buying and category teams has reduced the number of senior contacts an FMCG supplier can maintain, concentrating more commercial risk into fewer relationships.
• Aldi and Lidl now collectively account for [Insert current combined market share figure, e.g. Kantar Worldpanel 2026] of UK grocery spend, making discounter channel competency a commercial director priority rather than a secondary skill.
• The shift toward data-led ranging decisions across all major multiples has made Kantar Worldpanel and dunnhumby proficiency a baseline requirement at NAM level, not a differentiator.
• FMCG brands that align their commercial team structure to the retailer's buying model consistently outperform those that maintain a legacy sales structure built around personal relationships rather than category insight.

What Is Changing in Major Multiple Buying Structures

The structural changes happening inside UK grocery retailers in 2026 are not incremental. They reflect a sustained shift in retailer strategy that began post-pandemic and has accelerated as margin pressure, own-label growth, and data capability have reshaped how the major multiples approach supplier relationships.

Three changes matter most for FMCG commercial teams.

Category-led buying at Tesco. Tesco's buying function has reorganised around category management rather than brand relationships. Buyers are now evaluated on category performance metrics - total category growth, own-label vs branded mix, shopper frequency within the category - rather than on individual supplier deal performance. This changes what a NAM needs to bring to the table. A supplier who walks into a Tesco JBP meeting talking about brand volume without a credible category growth story will lose the conversation before it starts.

Buying team consolidation at Sainsbury's. Sainsbury's has reduced the headcount of its trading and category teams, concentrating more decision-making authority into fewer roles. For FMCG suppliers, this means fewer contact points, longer response cycles on commercial queries, and a higher premium on the relationships that remain. A National Account Director managing Sainsbury's in 2026 needs to be operating at a genuinely senior level with the retailer - not managing upwards from an NAM relationship that once worked.

Discounter influence on the full market. Aldi and Lidl's combined market share now makes discounter channel strategy a board-level conversation for most FMCG brands. The commercial complexity of serving the discounters is different from the major four: shorter ranging cycles, fewer SKUs, harder margin negotiations, and a buying culture that is transactional rather than relational. FMCG brands without dedicated discounter commercial capability are leaving volume and ranging opportunities on the table.

How has the Tesco buying structure changed for FMCG suppliers?

Tesco's buyer role now carries explicit category management accountability alongside commercial negotiation responsibility. Buyers are assessed on whether their category grew in the period, not only on whether their trading terms delivered margin. For FMCG suppliers, this means category data capability is now a requirement at the NAM level managing Tesco, not a nice-to-have. Specifically, the ability to build a category story using dunnhumby data - Tesco's proprietary shopper data platform - and to present that story credibly in a JBP review is now a baseline expectation that Advocate Group screens for in every Tesco-facing NAM search.

What does the discounter growth mean for FMCG commercial teams?

The growth of Aldi and Lidl to a combined market share of [Insert figure] has created a structural commercial question for every FMCG brand: do you have the right person managing the discounter relationship, and is that person sufficiently senior? The discounters buy differently from the major four - shorter windows, harder negotiations, no promotional mechanics - and the commercial skill set required to manage them profitably is specific. Brands that are assigning junior NAMs to discounter accounts because the volume is smaller than Tesco are systematically underperforming their discounter opportunity.

What This Means for Your Commercial Team Structure

The structural changes in retailer buying models have a direct read-across to the commercial team structures that FMCG brands need in 2026. Three implications stand out.

The NAM role requires a higher analytical baseline. Category data proficiency - specifically on Kantar Worldpanel, dunnhumby, and Nielsen - is now a hiring requirement rather than a development goal. NAMs who cannot build and present a credible category case using shopper data are not equipped for the Tesco or Sainsbury's buying conversation in 2026. Advocate Group's assessment process includes a practical data exercise for NAM-level candidates to verify this capability before shortlist submission.

The National Account Director role needs genuine seniority. As buying team headcount consolidates at the major multiples, the most senior supplier contact needs to be operating at a level that matches the retailer's decision-makers. An NAD who is functionally a senior NAM - strong on execution, limited on strategic commercial thinking - will not be credible in the consolidated buying conversations that the major multiples now run. The NAD hire needs to be assessed on category strategy capability and cross-functional commercial leadership, not only on account management track record.

The commercial director needs discounter fluency. Whether or not the commercial director personally manages the discounter relationship, they need to understand the commercial model well enough to set strategy, assess margin, and make resourcing decisions around the channel. Brands where the commercial director has spent their entire career in major four account management and has no discounter experience are making channel strategy decisions without the right input.

Should FMCG brands restructure their commercial teams in response to retailer buying changes?

Most FMCG brands don't need a full restructure - they need to upgrade specific roles to match the capability gap that retailer buying changes have created. The most common gaps Advocate Group identifies when briefing commercial searches in 2026 are: NAMs with relationship-led backgrounds who lack category data capability; NADs who are strong executional managers but not credible strategic partners for consolidated buying teams; and commercial directors who don't have a working understanding of the discounter commercial model. Addressing these gaps through targeted hiring or development, rather than wholesale restructure, is the most efficient response for most businesses.

The Hiring Implications: What to Look for Now

The changing retailer environment has a specific read-across to four hiring priorities for FMCG commercial teams in 2026.

At NAM level: Prioritise candidates with dunnhumby or Kantar Worldpanel experience over those with longer tenure at major multiple accounts but without data capability. A three-year NAM with strong category data skills will outperform a seven-year NAM who has been managing the relationship without analytical depth in the current Tesco buying environment.

At NAD level: Test for genuine strategic commercial thinking in the interview process, not just account management track record. Ask candidates to walk through a category growth case they have built and presented at buyer director level. Candidates who can't do this are not ready for the NAD role in the current retailer environment.

At Head of Sales level: Look for candidates who have managed both major four and discounter accounts at a senior level. The ability to hold a coherent channel strategy across the full grocery estate - from Tesco to Aldi - is increasingly a requirement rather than a bonus at this level.

At Commercial Director level: Prioritise candidates who have operated at or above the consolidated buying team level at the major multiples, and who have a working understanding of discounter commercial dynamics. The commercial director who has only ever managed upwards from an NAD structure will not be equipped for the strategic conversations that the 2026 retailer environment demands.

For the full commercial director competency profile, refer to Advocate Group's Commercial Director Job Description UK 2026 and the What Is a Commercial Director? FMCG Career Guide.

FAQ

Which major multiple has changed its buying structure most significantly in 2026?

Tesco's shift to category-led buying has had the most significant operational impact on FMCG suppliers in 2026, because it changes the competency requirement at NAM level rather than simply the seniority of the contact. Sainsbury's buying team consolidation has had the most impact at NAD and commercial director level, concentrating more strategic weight into fewer supplier relationships. Both changes require FMCG brands to assess whether their current commercial team has the right capability profile for the retailer environment they are operating in.

Do FMCG brands need a dedicated discounter commercial team?

Whether a dedicated discounter team is warranted depends on the scale of the discounter channel within the brand's overall commercial portfolio. Brands where Aldi and Lidl collectively represent more than [Insert threshold, e.g. 15%] of total volume should have at least one dedicated commercial resource managing the channel at NAM level or above. Brands where discounter volume is smaller but growing should ensure the NAM or NAD managing the relationship has experience of the discounter commercial model rather than treating it as an extension of major four account management.

How should FMCG brands assess whether their NAMs have sufficient category data capability?

The most reliable assessment method is a practical data exercise using Kantar Worldpanel or dunnhumby outputs. Asking candidates to interpret a category performance dataset and build a commercial recommendation from it in the interview process reveals genuine capability rather than claimed experience. Advocate Group includes this exercise in the NAM-level assessment framework as standard. For businesses assessing their existing team rather than hiring, the same exercise can be run as a development diagnostic to identify where training investment is needed. Submit a vacancy to discuss your commercial team structure with Advocate Group's specialist team.

Is the consolidation of buying teams at the major multiples permanent?

The buying team consolidation at Sainsbury's and the category-led restructure at Tesco reflect strategic choices rather than temporary cost reduction measures. Both retailers have publicly committed to the new structures as part of longer-term operating model changes. FMCG brands that treat the current environment as a temporary adjustment and expect a return to larger buying teams and more contact points are likely to be disappointed. The commercial team capability investment required to operate effectively in the consolidated buying environment is a structural requirement, not a short-term adaptation.

About the Author

Chris Dickenson is the Managing Director and Co-Founder of Advocate Group, one of the UK's leading consumer product recruitment specialists. With over 15 years of experience placing commercial teams across FMCG and consumer goods, Chris works directly with brands navigating the implications of retailer buying changes for their commercial team structure and hiring strategy. Connect with Chris on LinkedIn.

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