Category Private Label trends 2019-2023
What differentiates winners from losers
Private Label follows the rules of growth – driven by additional buyers
PL increased share in 72% of categories across the period from 2019 to 2023 and the average PL share rose by 4 points. In categories where PL gained share, the average increase was over 7 points, matched by their increase in buyer numbers.
Private Label has increased prices by a greater percentage than brands
Starting from a much lower base, the recent inflationary times saw substantially higher price increases for PL than National Brands. However, the degree to which PL increased prices did impact their share growth: In categories where branded shares went up (i.e. PL lost share), PL prices increased by 12% more than NB prices.
Like winning brands, PL share gains come with higher physical availability
In common with brands that have gained share, PL launches that added to rather than replace the existing assortment have helped sustain the significant share gains seen for winning PL categories. Quite likely more shelf space mirrored the larger assortment share commanded by PL.
