Many UK businesses will strive to achieve supply chain efficiency this year.

This is according to retail services firm CBRE's Big Six: Reasons to Focus on Industrial and Logistics 2014 survey, which states that occupiers and retailers alike will strive to remove surplus costs from their supply chains.

Outsourcing was predicted to rise this year, thanks to the increase in connectivity between western and eastern Europe, alongside the growth in e-commerce. This has been further buoyed by the strong growth of industrial production and manufacturing.

The report also stated that achieving the goal of supply chain efficiency would place a premium on commodities such as centralised, highly-accessible facilities. Larger companies could pool their resources and join together to use XXL-sized warehouses.

Richard Holberton, head of EMEA industrial and logistics research at CBRE, commented: "It is recognised by many occupiers and 3PLs that, in a relatively slow recovery, securing internal efficiencies will be a crucial way to build revenues and profitability.”

The survey added that during 2014, there is likely to be an increase in sales and leasebacks in the sector, as businesses strive to release capital in order to make high-cost investments.