T. Ozbun
Research expert covering food retail and all food topics for Italy and Brazil
Private label market in Canada - statistics & facts
In Canada, as is the case in many countries, private label products are readily available for purchase at mass merchandisers, supermarkets, and online. Recently, inflation has provided a significant boost to private labels. As consumer prices have risen, this inflationary environment has created an opportune moment for private labels to capture a larger market share and cater to shoppers who have become more conscious of their spending and are actively seeking more affordable options. While Western Europe held a higher share of private labels among fast moving consumer goods sales, North America also boasted a considerable share, accounting for 14.4 percent of the market.
Food retail
In Canada, private labels held a share of 18.5 percent in food retail in 2022. However, not all product categories experienced the same level of private label product sales. Bakery, and meat & seafood products emerged as the most appealing categories to Canadian consumers, as revealed by the private label share of these two categories across the country. In regard to the sales channels, variations were observed based on the type of store. Club stores commanded the highest share, while dollar stores, due to their nature, held the lowest share. Thanks to its “No name” private label products, Loblaws dominated the market and accounted for 44 percent of total private label units sold in Canada in 2022, surpassing all other competing grocers, with Walmart trailing at just 11 percent. The grocery sector is constantly evolving, and as evidenced by rising prices due to inflation, sales of private label products experienced tremendous growth in the first half of 2022.Non-food
The Canadian apparel retail market is mostly made up of private label brands, at around 60 percent of the total market. The household and health & beauty sectors also held a significant share of the market, however, unlike in food retail, these sectors had a higher unit share in dollar stores compared to other channels. Household accounted for a significantly higher share of 37 percent in that particular channel, while health & beauty captured 19 percent in dollar stores, only one percent more than club stores.Consumer behavior
Canadians seem to have a generally favorable opinion of private label products when comparing them to brand name products. A recent survey found that 53 percent of consumers in Canada believe that private label products are just as good as brand name products. Also, more than half of Canadian consumers purchased more private labels than national brands when grocery shopping, signaling how money-saving actions are among their priorities in times of uncertainty and rising prices.
