Experience the Home, Health and Self-Care Phenomenon
The show floor at PLMA 2024 is not unlike the aisles of your local retailer, specialty outlet or online format. Major categories of non-food products including such items as OTC pharmaceuticals and vitamins, skin and sun care, nail and hair care, household and paper, adult care, and first aid are on display for thousands of visitors. Assorted accessories, devices, kitchenware, and general merchandise can also be found among the other categories in the South Hall.
Some key private label trends this year include:
Health and Self-Care categories have exploded as consumers shift to a healthier lifestyle focusing on inner and outer wellness. Catering to multigenerational consumers, retailers are offering everything from soothing facial masks, essential oils, bath balms and in-home spa products to female-centric care and adult supplements and accessories. From GenZ to Baby Boomers, innovative store brand products are hitting retail shelves to meet their specific needs.
Baby Care continues to be a growth opportunity for store brands with dollar sales reaching $2 billion last year. Parents are seeking products developed with sustainable, clean and natural ingredients that fit the budget of a growing family. Top of mind when making product choices include eco-friendly diapers and wipes, bath and body care with soothing lotions, fragrances and wellness attributes as well as engaging accessories for babies and toddlers.
Beauty and Cosmetics is a developing category for private brands as specialty chains, and store-within-a-store concepts are appealing to consumers who want socially aware, eco-friendly and affordable products. Luxury and spa-like lotions and oils, color cosmetics, men’s grooming, and haircare and skincare are just some of the categories in demand.
School and Office Products sales show no signs of slowing as hybrid and work from home is no longer the trend but the norm. The traditional school and office supply category in discounters, wholesale clubs and mass merchandisers now include consumables, stationery, writing utensils, art supplies and kits, calendars of all shapes and sizes and the latest tech gadgets and accessories to make children’s homework and parents’ work from home more efficient and enjoyable.
Kitchenware and Home Goods continue to have robust sales with more families preparing and eating meals at home compared to a decade ago, using innovative and timesaving kitchen tools and gadgets, as well as cookware and baking accessories. Household products such as sustainable tableware, foils, wraps, eco-friendly laundry accessories and detergents, plastics and storage and small appliances have all seen private label sales growth.