Store brand dollar sales grew 1% in 2021, reaching a record $199 billion in all U.S. retail channels, according to the just-released “PLMA 2022 Private Label Report.”
Based on IRI data, the numbers show that last year was a roller coaster ride for store brands. Sales were up and down but finished strong, with increases averaging about 5% over the last five months.
Private brand dollar share last year was 17.7%, while unit share came in at 19.6%. Both represent increases over a three-year period.
In the eight largest departments covered by IRI, private label grew in six. In the largest category - refrigerated foods - store brands increased by 0.7%, followed by general merchandise (+1.7%), health care products (+0.2%), frozen (+0.8%), produce (+11.4%), and beverages (+2.7%).
More details can be found in “PLMA’s 2022 Private Label Report,” the association’s annual statistical guide for store brand sales. It’s available on plma.com.
The figures also reveal the U.S. store brand market in 2021 was able to retain the unprecedented, Covid-fueled, double-digit sales gains from 2020. Store brands jumped 12% in dollar sales in 2020, which exceeded national brands’ gain, which were up 10%.
Moving into 2021, some expected store brands would decline, giving back all or most of 2020’s huge increase but that did not happen as private label showed steady growth.
“The main takeaway is that retailer brands are a vibrant industry and an important piece of the U.S. grocery business, especially in difficult economic times,” said President Davies.
The 2021 performance of store brands represents a return to the consistent, single-digit growth that existed in pre-pandemic years.
PLMA, in collaboration with IRI, provides market data of both store brands and national brands in 317 categories and 967 sub-categories. The data are refreshed monthly on the Unify data portal on plma.com.