(QIMA: London) -- QIMA, a global leader in quality assurance and compliance, has announced its Q4 Barometer, which offers a data-driven snapshot of how brands are adapting in real time—diversifying suppliers, rebalancing risk, and navigating growing supply-chain uncertainty.

With the 2025 holiday season underway, U.S. procurement strategies are being stress-tested by shifting alliances and new trade barriers. Seven months after “Liberation Day,” new U.S. trade deals and tariffs are still unsettling global supply chains. While Washington’s policies have dominated headlines, alliances forming between other major economies may prove more consequential for long-term trade stability.

Friend-shoring meets friction

QIMA data show a clear slowdown in U.S. overseas procurement from August onward. After peaking in July (+22% YoY), inspection and audit activity fell sharply in August and September, signaling that “friend-shoring” is proving tougher in practice than in theory.

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