Culture in Retail: What the Numbers Say
Discover the good, the bad, and the ugly across major Consumer & Retail brands. Real employee data shows what drives — and what holds back — performance.
Consumer Goods & Retail is defined by thin margins, high operational complexity, and unforgiving customer expectations. But what’s it actually like inside some of the sector’s most influential firms?
Using Deltabase Culture Intelligence data from 2023–2025, we explored how employees experience their workplace across five global brands. The data doesn’t just capture the culture of individual firms — it reveals the strengths people value most and the systemic weaknesses that slow teams down.
For CHROs and senior leaders, the questions are pressing:
How do you sustain collaboration and store–HQ alignment at global scale?
What does real investment in skills look like when tech, tooling, and frontline processes keep changing?
How do you balance reward, purpose, and progression to retain scarce talent in logistics, data, and store leadership roles?
This insight helps leaders move beyond assumptions and anecdotes. It gives a sharper view of how culture is really experienced across the industry — and it raises a clear challenge: can Consumer & Retail build on its strengths while tackling the barriers that hold people back?
The Good
Collaboration remains a cultural asset
Across the peer set, collaboration is a relative strength (peer average 45.5). Tesco (67.9) and IKEA (52.5) sit above the pack, suggesting teams can connect, share knowledge, and ship work across complex, multi‑site operations.
Learning & Development shows pockets of strength
Learning & Development is positive overall (peer average 30.9), with Amazon (58.7) leading — a signal that upskilling and internal mobility are investment priorities, even as frontline and digital roles evolve.
Pay & Rewards differentiate at the top end
Compensation is a lever. Costco (72.6) and Amazon (50.3) score well above the peer average (46.2), reinforcing how rewards help attract and retain critical talent.
| Company | Collaborative | Learning & Development | Pay & Rewards |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amazon.com, Inc. | 31.8% | 58.7% | 50.3% |
| Costco Wholesale Corporation | 42.3% | 18.8% | 72.6% |
| IKEA | 52.5% | 19.1% | 27.9% |
| Walmart Inc. | 33.0% | 24.8% | 35.7% |
| Tesco plc | 67.9% | 33.2% | 44.4% |
| Peer set average | 45.5% | 30.9% | 46.2% |
Source: Deltabase Culture Intelligence, 2023–2025
The Bad:
Bureaucracy is slowing teams down
Agility & Bureaucracy is the lowest‑performing operational dimension (peer average −31.9). Even the best performer (Amazon, −18.2) is negative — process and approvals are throttling responsiveness in large, distributed organisations.
Empowerment isn’t consistent
Many employees don’t feel the autonomy to act. Only Amazon is net‑positive (8.2); others lag, pulling the peer average to −31.5.
Career progression frustrations persist
Despite L&D investment, progression feels unclear. Walmart is the only positive (3.0); the peer average is −18.2.
| Company | Agility & Bureaucracy | Empowered | Career Progression |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amazon.com, Inc. | -18.2% | 8.2% | -10.8% |
| Costco Wholesale Corporation | -21.2% | -74.6% | -2.7% |
| IKEA | -36.6% | -28.7% | -35.8% |
| Walmart Inc. | -38.7% | -35.3% | 3.0% |
| Tesco plc | -44.8% | -26.9% | -44.7% |
| Peer set average | -31.9% | -31.5% | -18.2% |
Source: Deltabase Culture Intelligence, 2023–2025
The Ugly
Purpose feels patchy
Employees question the “why” behind their work. Purpose averages −63.6 across the set, with Tesco (−79.1) and Walmart (−74.0) pointing to deeper gaps in meaning and mission.
Technology in the workplace is uneven
Outside Amazon (33.0), most brands score negatively on Technology in the Workplace, pulling the peer average to −22.4— suggesting friction with tools, systems, or change management.
Progressive culture still isn’t embedded
All firms underperform on Progressiveness (peer average −50.2), underlining how hard it is to convert innovation rhetoric into action at scale.
| Company | Purpose | Technology in the Workplace | Progressiveness |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amazon.com, Inc. | -21.4% | 33.0% | -15.0% |
| Costco Wholesale Corporation | -74.9% | -58.0% | -76.1% |
| IKEA | -68.6% | -63.2% | -50.3% |
| Walmart Inc. | -74.0% | -5.5% | -52.1% |
| Tesco plc | -79.1% | -18.4% | -57.4% |
| Peer set average | -63.6% | -22.4% | -50.2% |
Source: Deltabase Culture Intelligence, 2023–2025
How Deltabase Helps
Across Consumer & Retail, we see strong performance on collaboration, learning, and rewards. At the same time, bureaucracy, empowerment, purpose, and progressiveness represent headwinds to speed and service.
These are not just HR topics. Culture now shapes everything from frontline experience and store execution to AI adoption, supply‑chain resilience, and customer loyalty.
If you’re a leader in Consumer & Retail, ask yourself:
Can your people connect with the purpose behind your customer strategy?
Do store and HQ teams feel empowered to deliver it at pace?
Is your culture evolving as quickly as your technology stack and operating model?
Want to See Your Culture in Context?
If you’re responsible for people, culture, or transformation inside a Consumer & Retail brand — we’d love to show you what’s going on in your company and how it compares to your peers.
👉 Book a Culture Intelligence demo
👉 Explore our full platform
Phil Spratt
http://deltabase.ioPhil has 18 years of management consulting experience, helping the world’s leading companies achieve transformational change. His vision for Deltabase is rooted in his deep understanding of how intelligence shapes corporate success.
