Sales of private brands jumped by double digits in the first quarter of 2020 as U.S. consumers stocked up on groceries and daily essentials during the initial phase of the coronavirus pandemic, according to data from the Private Label Manufacturers Association (PLMA) and Nielsen.
In fact, in all U.S. retail outlets, private brands increased 14.6% in dollar volume and 12.8% in unit volume, just ahead of national brands that saw an increase of 11.5% in dollars and 9.2% in unit volume. Fear buying during the first half of the year led to national brands selling out on-shelf and many consumers trying store brands for the first time.