Store Brands Month is a month-long celebration to increase consumer attention to the positive attributes of store brands - including quality, value, consistency, uniqueness and innovation - across all product categories in both brick-and-mortar and online retail formats. The principal goal is to increase shopper trial of and loyalty to store brand foods, beverages and nonfoods.

Plans for Store Brands Month 2026 come after a highly successful inaugural event this past January. Aldi, Albertsons, Associated Wholesale Grocers, Dollar General, K-VA-T, Raley’s, SpartanNash, Topco and Wakefern were among the many retailers, wholesalers and distributors nationwide that supported the campaign through a variety of promotional events, including the use of digital and social media platforms.

Plus, there was strong participation by manufacturers, suppliers and brokers, including Advantage Solutions, AmeriQual, Federated Group, Pacific Coast Producers, Red Gold, Subco Foods and many others.

Christina Fogal, Marketing Manager at Federated Group and a member of the Store Brands Month committee, stressed that partnerships among manufactures, brokers and retailers are the key to building momentum and contributing to the success of the annual event.

“Store Brands Month is a win-win for the industry,” Fogal said during PLMA’s Store Brands Month informational webinar.

For more information, email storebrandsmonth@plma.com.

“It’s encouraging to witness the energy and inspiration shared between retailers and manufacturers as they continue to shape a dynamic private brand community,” said PLMA President Peggy Davies. “These companies are clearly future-ready, serving consumers who are not only price-conscious but increasingly focused on finding real value. This spirit of collaboration and innovation was on full display at this year’s trade show in Amsterdam.”

Products in the spotlight included fresh, frozen, and refrigerated foods; dry groceries; beverages; and non-food categories such as cosmetics, health and beauty, household and kitchenware, garden supplies, housewares and more.

Among the trends on trade show floor:

• Sustainable Claims: 44% overall (49% in Food and 23% in Non-Food)
• Foods that cater to certain dietary needs & lifestyles (e.g. vegan, plant-based, vegetarian, halal, kosher, Free From, including organic options): 55% 
• Vegan, Plant-Based, and Vegetarian: 29% in Food, 8% in Non-Food
• Organic: 34% in Food, 10% in Non-Food

A highlight of the show was the Idea Supermarket, an innovation, trends and new product development area. This section showcased private label ranges from over 60 supermarkets, hypermarkets, discounters, specialty stores, and drugstores worldwide.

Plus, the New Product Expo showcased nearly 400 new products and packaging innovations from exhibitors. This year’s trends included flavored nuts like sour cream onion cashews; sustainable packaging; functional foods like A2 milk; and Asian food items, like trendy onigiri soy wraps in various colors.

Additionally, the area included a display of all retail products that won a 2025 International PLMA Salute to Excellence Award for private label innovation.

• Private label sales are outpacing national brands. In 2020, private label sales grew 29% (vs. 15.4% for national brands). In 2022, private label sales grew by 6.9% (vs. 3.6%), and in 2024, private label sales grew by 2.3% (vs. 4.5%).
• Growth is fueled by more trips and increased spending. In 2024, private label trips grew by 2.3%, spend per unit grew by 1.9%, and households purchasing private label grew by 0.7%.
• The price gap between private label and national brands has grown by 38% since 2019. On average, consumers are paying over $2 more for a nationally branded product than for a private label product.
• Consumers are shifting private label share of spending for both CPG and General Merchandise. Club stores and home improvement stores both saw dollar share increases in 2024 (+1.1 points and +1.7 points, respectively).

Retailers that launched new private label brands in 2024 are seeing traction with diversified offerings. As of March 2025, 12% of U.S. households have purchased Target’s Dealworthy brand (launched in February 2024), spending an average of $9. Similarly, 20.6% of U.S. households have purchased Walmart’s Bettergoods brand (launched in April 2024), spending an average of $16 on the brand.