May 9, 2026 Issue
Private Label Manufacturers Association
Notable Quotable: Natalie McConnell, Dollar General
“With simmer & stir, we’re making it possible for customers to refresh their kitchens with tools that look great, perform beautifully and fit their budget.”
- Natalie McConnell - Dollar General’s vice president, division merchandise manager of apparel, holiday and home - said about the launch of the new simmer & stir private-label kitchen brand. The assortment features nearly 30 kitchen tools, including measuring cups and spoons, mixing bowls, spatulas, spoons, and tongs.
Ideas and Inspiration: Summer Selections at H-E-B, Kroger, Publix
- The H-E-B line includes Texas Mesquite Instant Light Charcoal Briquets.
- Kroger’s Private Selection® line includes Sweet Hawaiian Hot Dog Buns.
- Mango, blackberry and raspberry are among the specialty private label lemonade flavors at Publix.
Legislative and Regulatory Updates
PLMA's Policy Watch Newsletter summarizes the latest governmental, legislative, judicial and regulatory developments - issues you need to know. Click here to read PolicyWatch for updates on legistative and regulatory changes potentially impacting the U.S. store brands Industry.
Did You Know?
Allegiance Retail Services has relaunched the Pathmark supermarket banner on Long Island, N.Y., with the opening of a small-format concept called Pathmark Daily.
Allegiance purchased the Pathmark banner through the dissolution of the former A&P grocery chain, which filed for bankruptcy protection in 2015.
Located in East Meadow, Pathmark Daily carries several private label brands from C&S Wholesale Grocers, including Best Yet, Our Family, TopCare and Full Circle.
E-scanner’s Carol Angrisani visited the store and here’s what she found:
Pathmark Daily opened in May in East Meadow, Long Island, N.Y.
Best Yet canned vegetables are featured on a Wall of Values.
The produce department.
In-store signage promotes the Best Yet brand.
The TopCare brand can be found in the OTC medicine section.
Our Family store brand frozen vegetables.
Best Yet and Full Circle Organic dairy products.
NIQ: 42% of Consumers Use AI to Shop
AI is influencing product discovery, comparison, and selection, according to new data from NielsenIQ.
Key findings from the new research include:
- 42% of consumers have used at least one AI tool to shop within the past month.
- 17% have used AI for product recommendations.
- 10% have used a voice assistant to purchase and/or reorder items.
- 19% use a subscribe or auto-replenish feature for repeat purchases.
- 10% have engaged with an AI-powered shopping assistant.
- 5% have used fully autonomous AI agents to place orders on their behalf.
“AI is not replacing the consumer, but it is dramatically reshaping how choices are made,” said Liz Buchanan, President of North America, NIQ. “The companies that win in this next era will be the ones that understand how to show up in those moments and deliver both value and trust.”
While consumers are increasingly open to AI-assisted shopping, most are not yet ready to fully delegate decisions. Instead, AI is being adopted as a tool to simplify and accelerate choices, according to the report.
Study: Shoppers Making $5K+ a Month Are Buying More Store Brands
Forty-four percent of shoppers making $5,000+ a month are buying more private label products than they were a year ago, compared to 34% of consumers with lower incomes, according to new study from Simon-Kucher.
Among other results:
- Of those consumers, 39% are regularly purchasing premium private label products, while 27% of consumers across income cohorts say they’ve purchased more premium private label products than last year.
- Consumer perception of national brands is shifting: 55% believe these brands are overpriced and not competitive on quality; and 28% say brand names don’t play much of a role in their decision-making.
Report: Robomart, ‘No Waste Army’ Among Innovative Retail Concepts
Retailers around the world are leveraging emerging trends, deploying new technologies, and adopting new ways of working to create better experiences, stronger connections, and more resilient business models, according to a report by Ebeltoft Group, a global alliance of retail and brand consulting firms.
The report highlights numerous concepts that are propelling retail forward.
Among them:
Robomart
Robomart is a start-up that builds self-driving delivery robots. It began as an autonomous store on wheels stocked with pharmacy and pantry items. It has progressed to on-demand delivery, like those of established food delivery platforms.
According to the report, Robomart is innovative because it’s an autonomous mobile marketplace; has an efficient, high-capacity design (full-size EV, traveling up to 25 mph) and provides a low-cost, frictionless experience (flat $3 delivery fee).
No Waste Army
No Waste Army turns unwanted food into popular grocery products. It works with farmers and producers to utilize surplus or imperfect fruit, vegetables, and other ingredients: creating shelf-stable jams, sauces, pickles, and snacks.
The report notes that the concept intervenes before surplus becomes waste by sourcing directly from farms and creating value through processing partners.
Stats and Facts: Europe vs. U.S. on Private Label Sales
While Europe leads in private label market share, the U.S. is a powerful runner-up in dollar sales and the numbers prove it. Here's the scoreboard: Private label sales across 17 European countries last year were €387 billion, reports NIQ. That's about $454 billion in American dollars. At the same time, private label sales in the U.S. reached $330 billion in 2025, according to Circana.
Policy Watch Newsletter, May 2026
Policy Watch Newsletter, May 2026