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.
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.
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:
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.
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
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:
...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.
The best R&D procurement teams aren’t just placing orders. They’re asking:
With access to comprehensive life sciences procurement platforms, these questions are now easier to answer, and act on.
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:
Labs that have made the shift are spending less time managing orders and more time moving their research forward.