The pressure on “A-brands” in the food sector is set to increase further in the years ahead. The product range groups in which these brands operate are losing space in supermarkets as they fail to offer sufficient value above private label goods, according to Rabobank. “The brand landscape in the … food sector will undergo a metamorphosis in the coming years,” Sipko Schat, Member of the Executive Board of Rabobank, advised. “A-brands will no longer focus exclusively... ...Read more »

A no-frills, back-to-basics attitude is set to be taking by consumers, manufacturers and retailers alike next year as consumers and businesses opt for caution in the face of economic fears, Nielsen advised in their latest edition of Consumer Insights. This will see many consumers focus on “going green” only when the cost is right, national brands fight back against private label with innovation in product design and packaging, and increased sales of products useful for ‘coooking... ...Read more »

7-Eleven, Inc., the world’s largest convenience store chain, has launched a new line of private-label products in the US this month under the brand, 7-Select. With the rollout of the 32 new items, 7-Eleven has greatly enhanced the presence of store-brand packaged foods, a business that it reports has increased dramatically over the last year and promises strong future growth, especially in light of consumer budget-tightening while the US economy deteriorates. The announcement comes soon after... ...Read more »

The fact that shoppers are facing a crisis of confidence is having a profound effect on the consumer packaged goods (CPG) industry. A key question on the minds of retailers and manufacturers is how consumers are meeting today’s economic challenges as the most shopping intensive period of the year draws near. The latest research from Information Resources, Inc. (IRI) reveals that financially-strapped American consumers across all income levels, including those earning $100,000 or more, are... ...Read more »

Once considered a lower-price, lower-quality substitute for name brands, private label products, or home brands, are now viewed in a more positive light by the majority of American consumers, according to a new survey by The Nielsen Company. Nearly three-quarters (72 per cent) of consumers believe store brands are good alternatives to name brands and 62 per cent of consumers report they consider store brands to be as good as name brands, up three points since 2005. Private label products now account... ...Read more »

Australians love buying “house brand” cotton wool and sugar but baulk at the thought of deserting trusted brands when it comes to sunscreen and ice-cream. And, while private labels have been a strong growth segment for supermarkets over the past few years, there are a number of product categories in which Australians have tried the no-name option and come back to national brand favourites, according to business information analysts IBISWorld. Last year house brand sales accounted for... ...Read more »

Although brands account for the majority of volume with most types, private label permeates virtually every beverage category in the United States. Private label beverages, also known as store or home brands, can now be found in the largest and the smallest of beverage categories. Although carbonated soft drinks remain popular, as the market has evolved and consumer tastes have shifted, retailers in private label have moved into more non-carbonated products, like bottled water and fruit beverages,... ...Read more »

Private label products, or store brands, are growing faster in convenience stores compared to other stores and represent a tremendous growth opportunity for the convenience channel, according to new research to be released by The Nielsen Company. Nielsen’s research discovers that sales of private label products escalated by nearly 20 per cent over the last year to $826 million in American convenience stores, compared to a 15 per cent increase in drug stores (pharmacies) and just under 10 per... ...Read more »

Cost-conscious grocery store habits US consumers developed during the faltering economy in the first six months of 2008 are destined to have a long-term impact on national shopping behavior, according to research results issued by retail analytics firm Precima. Eighty-four per cent said they’ll keep looking for specials in store flyers; 80 per cent outlined plans to use coupons as much as possible and 78 per cent said they were determined to make fewer trips to the store in order to save on... ...Read more »

Decisions by manufacturers to shrink product sizes in order to prevent price hikes have disappointed consumers, who instead seek larger package sizes with lower cost per serving. In more positive news for many manufacturers, though, the recent surge in private label sales in America has, contrary to popular belief, not been driven by national brand abandonment, according to The Nielsen Company. Private label Supermarkets across the western world are embracing private labels, with reports that consumers... ...Read more »