Consumer Goods

The evolving role of patents as B2C industries shift toward technology-based competitiveness

In this article series, we explore how competitiveness in consumer goods is evolving from a primarily brand-driven model toward greater technology-based differentiation. Digitalisation, sustainability, and performance-enhancing functional improvements are increasingly driving value creation and shaping consumer experiences across five B2C segments: Apparel & Accessories, Personal Care, Consumer Electronics, Food & Beverages, and Entertainment. Drawing on Konsert’s insights and publicly available examples, we examine how these trends are reshaping the competitive landscape—and how they are elevating the role of patents as tools for securing competitive advantage, expanding market share, and driving profitability. Consumer goods companies demonstrate a range of patent profiles, from ‘Dormant Players’ to ‘Rapid Expanders’. Regardless of profile, a business-driven approach is essential to avoid both over- and under-investment, and to ensure that patents are actively used rather than left as inactive cost items on the P&L.