Which Private-Brand Products Are Gaining Momentum?

Catalina report shows inflationary concerns are boosting the category

7/22/2022

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Catalina found that private label mixes have seen sales increase 40% for the year ending July 17.

Shopper intelligence company Catalina is keeping tabs on the retail sales impact of rising inflation and supply chain issues, and has found that purchases of private brand products are still on the rise. Baking mixes, soup and prepared foods saw the largest increase in sales for the year ended July 17, with dried vegetables, canned fish, deodorant, cereal and baby food also seeing gains.

Baking mixes saw an impressive 40% rise in sales year-over-year, while soup sales were up 17% and prepared foods were up 12%. Dried vegetables saw an 11% increase, canned fish saw 10%, cereal and baby food was up 6% and deodorant sales jumped 4%.

According to Catalina, sales increases in these categories likely show that consumers are actively seeking out affordable lunch and dinner solutions. Additionally, private brand cereal products are benefitting from a 10-11% increase in brand name cereal prices.

Catalina’s Shopper Intelligence Platform further found that a return to the office has boosted purchases of affordable personal grooming items like deodorant, as well as prepared foods. The nationwide shortage of brand name baby formula is also pushing shoppers toward private brand baby food and formula.

“The data clearly indicates that shoppers have become more price-sensitive and value-driven in recent months,” said Sean Murphy, chief data and analytics officer at St. Petersburg, Fla.-based Catalina. “Our platform powers these sorts of insights, helping us advise our retailer and CPG customers on the most effective shopper audiences, marketing messages and offers to measurably impact sales.”

Private brand lines have only gained in importance since the onset of the pandemic and supply chain struggles. A recent trend report from McKinsey & Company found that 45% of consumers plan to find more ways to save money this year, while about 40% plan to increase their focus on healthy eating and nutrition – a trend that is most prevalent among Millennial and Generation Z shoppers.

“The emergence of this younger, value-conscious, and healthier eater in 2022 creates opportunities for grocers to tailor their value-priced private-label products to include healthier offerings,” the report found.