The R&D procurement playbook is being rewritten. In the wake of years of pandemic disruption, global inflation, and shifting funding cycles, lab procurement strategies are undergoing a major transformation. 2024 may have shown signs of renewed investment, but in 2025, lab procurement is under more scrutiny than ever.
According to Ropes & Gray, the life sciences sector is entering a period of closer investor attention, operational tightening, and sharper performance expectations, factors that directly impact how labs budget, buy, and plan.
ZAGENO’s latest ebook, Lab Supply and Market Trends: Exclusive 2024 Data Insights for Life Sciences Procurement, based on hundreds of thousands of real-life lab supply transactions, surfaces what R&D procurement professionals need to know right now. Here’s what’s driving change, and how top-performing labs are responding.
1. Pricing is all over the place
In 2024, more than half of supplier portfolios saw price increases. In some categories, costs jumped by 20 percent or more, compared to pre-COVID levels. Meanwhile, suppliers dealing with excess inventory in slower-moving areas actually lowered prices to stay competitive.
Product Price Inflation versus Baseline
This pricing volatility makes it harder to predict spend and harder still to evaluate vendor value. Rather than chase the lowest price, top-performing labs are prioritizing platforms that let them compare supplier SLAs and pricing side by side to balance cost with reliability.
2. Flexibility > loyalty
Post-pandemic procurement has created more resilient habits. In 2024, customers were less willing to wait on backordered items and quicker to switch to available alternatives.
This led to:
- A noticeable increase in order cancellations
- Lower overall backorder rates across most product categories
- A shift away from single-supplier dependence
Labs that once tolerated delays are now using metasearch tools to compare SKUs and suppliers in real time, choosing speed, availability, and fulfillment reliability over brand familiarity.
3. Procurement is upping their strategy game
With CAPEX investments back on the rise and procurement staff stretched thin, procurement teams are stepping into a more strategic role. They’re not just sourcing items. They’re guiding supplier choices, managing rebates, and helping scientists stay focused on research by taking sourcing off their plates.
CAPEX Purchases over $10K
More labs are using lab supply platforms like ZAGENO to implement guided buying, consolidate invoicing and approvals, and get real-time supplier insights. With tools like chemical structure search, quote sourcing, and SLA visibility, procurement teams can move faster while staying in control.
✅ Poll Insight: In a recent ZAGENO webinar, 100% of participants said they were not delaying large orders due to market uncertainty.
In short, forward-thinking labs are planning ahead, not pulling back.
Learn more about the difference between procurement and purchasing scientific equipment
4. Expectations are changing on all sides of the buying equation
Suppliers, too, are adjusting. Some are requesting upfront payments on large or first-time orders, while others are pulling back on investments in digital infrastructure or support teams.
Labs are taking note. Metrics like:
- On-time delivery rate
- Real-time tracking capabilities
- SLA reliability
...are being factored directly into purchasing decisions. Tools like supplier KPI dashboards are becoming standard practice for labs looking to reduce risk while increasing performance transparency.
5. Procurement leaders are asking better questions
The best R&D procurement teams aren’t just placing orders. They’re asking:
- Can we compare fulfillment performance across suppliers?
- Are we missing rebates or overpaying for catalog items?
- Are our researchers spending too much time managing POs?
With access to comprehensive life sciences procurement platforms, these questions are now easier to answer, and act on.
6. Technology is helping teams do more with less
With procurement teams stretched thin and order volume rising, labs are investing in smarter systems that can simplify the entire process. ZAGENO’s R&D procurement platform supports:
- Quote sourcing to eliminate the hours spent chasing prices
- Chemical structure search to support specialized workflows
- AI-enhanced discovery tools that match research needs with supply options
- One monthly invoice and one set of terms across 5,300+ suppliers and 40M+ SKUs, under one login.
Labs that have made the shift are spending less time managing orders and more time moving their research forward.
Get the full story
For a deeper look at backorder data, pricing fluctuations, supplier trends, and what’s changing in lab procurement, download the free ebook: Get the full 2024 Lab Supply and Market Trends eBook
Discover how leading labs are using data to make smarter procurement decisions, adapt to ongoing uncertainty, and drive operational value in 2025 and beyond.
