It's Private

The Private Label Manufacturers Association (PLMA) held its annual trade show in Chicago this week against the backdrop of a new report the group says confirms that consumer affection for private label products in U.S. supermarkets, drug stores and mass merchandisers is greater than ever. PLMA president Brian Sharoff presented the findings at the trade show. According to the survey, 41% of shoppers now say they are "frequent" buyers of store brands, up from 36% five years ago. Seven in ten surveyed said private label products they buy are as good, if not better, than their national brand counterparts, called a significant increase over five years ago. More about PLMA is available at www.plma.com. For a copy of the report, Star Power: The Growing Influence of Store Brands in the U.S., contact the organization.

At the show, the trend twins, natural and organic, were keeping a high profile on both the food and nonfood sides of the hall. At the PLMA Idea Supermarket, several private label beauty brands were on display including Sephora's (France) Brown & White line, Ritual's (Netherlands) Hammam line and Uniprix (Canada) Elegant color cosmetics. What does it all mean to the ever-changing beauty industry competitive scene? Stay tuned.