Distilling 30+ years of industry experience: CERTANIA and RAS SCI publish business book “The Leaky Pipe”

New thought leadership book reveals how hidden supply chain inaccuracies can quietly drain millions from retailers – and how independent validation can help stop the losses.

Munich/Bromley (United Kingdom), 2nd June 2026 – CERTANIA and RAS Supply Chain Integrity have published The Leaky Pipe – How optimising your supply chain can save you millions, a new business book dedicated to one of the most underestimated sources of margin loss in modern retail: stock inaccuracy.

Written by Faisal Ashfaq, Director of Supply Chain Integrity at RAS Supply Chain Integrity, together with Moritz Gruber and Karsten Xander, Co-CEOs of CERTANIA Group, The Leaky Pipe explains why supply chains rarely fail through one dramatic breakdown. More often, margin is lost through thousands of small, routine inaccuracies: a short delivery here, a wrong quantity there, a stock file that looks correct until it no longer reflects reality.

These “leaks” can quietly accumulate across suppliers, warehouses, distribution centres and stores – distorting inventory records, creating friction between teams, reducing availability and eroding profitability.

“Supply chain losses often remain invisible because the system continues to function,” says Faisal Ashfaq, Director of Supply Chain Integrity at RAS Supply Chain Integrity. “Stores stay open, products keep moving, reports are generated. But beneath the surface, stock accuracy may already be drifting away from reality. This book is about making those leaks visible – and giving supply chain leaders practical ways to fix them.”

At the centre of the book are three proven validation approaches developed by RAS Supply Chain Integrity:

• Good Faith Receiving (GFR™) – independent validation of goods-in processes to improve supplier accuracy and stock file integrity.
• Picker Accuracy (PA) – systematic verification of picking performance in distribution centres to reduce outbound errors before they reach stores.
• Direct-to-Store Auditing (DTS) – independent checks at store delivery points to ensure that what arrives matches what was expected.

Together, these methods create what the authors describe as an operating system for accountability: a practical framework for replacing assumptions with verified data across the supply chain.

The book combines field-tested methods, visual models and real-world case studies. Examples include a retailer recovering more than €2 million through supplier accuracy reform, a 12% improvement in picker accuracy across three regional distribution centres, and measurable improvements in availability and waste reduction through direct-to-store auditing.

Beyond operational performance, The Leaky Pipe makes the case that supply chain accuracy has become a strategic business issue. In a market shaped by narrow margins, rising customer expectations, regulatory scrutiny and increasing pressure for transparency, retailers need more than efficient processes – they need evidence that their supply chains are working as intended.

“Accuracy is no longer just an operational metric,” says Moritz Gruber, Co-CEO of CERTANIA Group. “It is a foundation for trust: trust in data, trust between retailers and suppliers, and trust in the decisions companies make every day.” Karsten Xander, Founder and Co-CEO of CERTANIA Group, adds: “With this book, we are showing how specialist expertise, independent validation and practical insight can unlock measurable value. It is also a strong example of how CERTANIA companies contribute thought leadership in their markets – turning deep operational knowledge into tools that help clients perform better.”

The Leaky Pipe is aimed at supply chain leaders, operations directors, procurement teams, finance leaders, inventory control specialists, logistics managers and retail profit protection teams. It is especially relevant for companies in grocery retail, fashion, e-commerce fulfilment, DIY, homeware and pharmaceutical logistics, where stock accuracy has a direct impact on margin, availability and customer experience. As a thought leadership initiative, the publication reflects the group’s commitment to sharing specialist knowledge in practical, tangible formats.

Book details
The Leaky Pipe – How optimising your supply chain can save you millions
Authors: Faisal Ashfaq, Moritz Gruber, Karsten Xander
1st Edition, 2026
96 pages
ISBN: 978-3-8343-3588-3
Official Retail Price: €49.80

The book is available via major book retailers including Amazon, Hugendubel and other platforms.
Complimentary copies can be requested directly from RAS Supply Chain Integrity at:
https://www.supplychainintegrity.eu/the-leaky-pipe

About RAS Supply Chain Integrity
RAS Supply Chain Integrity is a specialist provider of end-to-end supply chain stock integrity audits. The company helps retailers and supply chain organisations improve stock accuracy, reduce errors and enhance performance across suppliers, distribution centres and stores. Its services include Good Faith Receiving, Picker Accuracy, Direct-to-Store audits and other supply chain integrity solutions, supported by the proprietary RAS Prosper™ platform. More information: www.supplychainintegrity.eu

About CERTANIA
CERTANIA Group, headquartered in Munich, is an internationally active Testing, Inspection, Certification & Compliance company with decades of experience. Its experts shape industry standards and continuously advance methods across life sciences, food and consumer goods, industrials, buildings and infrastructure, as well as certification and compliance. More information: www.certania.com

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