Growing popularity of private label products all over Europe

According to recently published data from the Private Label Manufacturers Association (PLMA), the market share of private label (PL) products is 30 percent on average in the 19 European countries audited. Research by Nielsen has found that Spain, Switzerland and the United Kingdom are the biggest PL markets with these products having a market share around 50 percent or even more – informed PLMA president Brian Sharoff.

In Germany the market share of PL products has been above 44 percent for the third consecutive year. In Belgium PL products performed better than ever before, reaching a market share of almost 44 percent. Private label sales were up the most in Turkey, where PL sales growth neared 2 percentage points to almost reach 29 percent. Sweden, Norway and Finland reported a 30-percent share for private label products.

PL products have an average market share around 30 percent in Hungary, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Poland; Hungary leads the way with a 34-percent PL share. In neighbouring Austria this value is above 40 percent. On the contrary, in Italy PL products have been unable to go above 20 percent for the seventh consecutive year.

PLMA says a survey by Oliver Wyman has revealed: When in the last 12 months Edeka or Kaufland stopped selling a manufacturer brand, shoppers didn’t really care. According to the study, 52 percent hardly notice if certain products aren’t available and 3 from 4 don’t realise the change at all. //