Last Mile Distribution: State of the sector (SoS) report 2025 (Executive Summary)
The Global Distributors Collective (GDC) has released the third edition of our Last Mile Distribution: State of the sector (SoS) report, following reports in 2019 and 2022. The report is the GDC’s flagship, biennial report and the only comprehensive look at the last mile distribution (LMD) sector. It pulls together insights and data from more than 100 GDC members (last mile distributors – LMDs) in 45 countries and over 40 supplementary interviews with key actors working in the wider ecosystem – from funders and investors to technical assistance providers and product manufacturers. The report shows how LMDs globally continue to connect millions of low-income and remote households with beneficial products – and how they’re adapting in an increasingly complex business environment. This is the executive summary of the report, aimed at all stakeholders that are interested in the last mile distribution sector and want to work more closely to support LMDs to improve their business’ performance and resilience, in order to reach even more underserved, low-income, rural customers around the world with beneficial products.