Introduction
Verdict Research: This new report provides a useful insight into the latest private label developments of retailers across different sectors including food & grocery, electricals and DIY. With a number of case studies spanning across different countries and retail sectors, the report identifies and examines the key strategies for retailers to develop and further optimise their private label offer.
Scope

• This report provides accurate insights into key trends and future developments of retailers' private label propositions.
• In-depth discussion and analysis of the strategies of major retailers and their private label offer.
• Strategic analysis of the key factors driving private label development across different sectors and product categories.
• Cross country and sector overview of retailers' private label. Analysis of best practice private label strategies across different industries.

Highlights
In the wake of the global financial crisis and subsequent recession there has been a resurgence of private label. With price being the overriding factor driving most consumers' purchasing decisions, for retailers, a relentless focus on value is, now more than ever, the name of the game. Private label has been at the forefront of this strategy.
Major grocery players are extending their private label proposition as a response to the discounter threat and greater uptake of own brand products. At this challenging time private label offers an array of benefits for retailers including better margins and increased brand loyalty. However the lower cost reduces retailers' top-line sales.
In the home related sectors there is a significant opportunity for private label development of eco-friendly and energy efficient products. These products will help retailers to differentiate their offer and appeal to changing consumer attitudes for more environmentally sustainable products, while at the same time producing higher margins.
Reasons to Purchase

• Learn how difficult market conditions are driving private label sales and what the outlook for retailers' private label offer will be going forward.
• Understand how evolving consumer behaviour is forcing retailers to develop new private label strategies to counter the discounters.
• Benchmark your private label strategy against what others in the industry are doing.

CHAPTER 1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Key findings
Main conclusions
CHAPTER 2 ECONOMIC OVERVIEW
Main messages
GDP Top 10
Top 10 GDP forecasts - bleak outlook
GDP: midranking eight
Midranking eight - GDP may fall for all after revisions
GDP: smaller nine
Smaller nine - GDP reductions bad for Baltics
Consumer expenditure
Structure
Inflation falls rapidly
HICP annual averages
Savings rate to increase sharply
Euro interest rate turns downwards
Other interest rates
Unemployment - lagging indicator
CHAPTER 3 EU RETAIL SPEND
Latest expenditure trends
CHAPTER 4 EU PRIVATE LABEL MARKET
Private label market share by volume - on the rise
Switzerland has top private label penetration due to Migros
Discounter Denner now part of Migros
Private label market share by value - not far behind
Loi Galland makes France a private label anomaly
But discounter threat prompts refocus on private label
Crisis triggered enhancement of private label offer
CHAPTER 5 KEY ISSUES
Deflation the major threat
Reaction to hard discounters depresses prices further
Threat of deflation in wider economy
CHAPTER 6 OUTLOOK
Organics
Managing the supplier relationship
Opportunity in non-food
CHAPTER 7 GROCERY DISCOUNTERS PROSPER
Strategy differences in the private label offer
Green retailing - a private label opportunity
Non-food a common problem area
CHAPTER 8 OTHER GROCERS REACT
Private label range innovation, extension and relaunch
Evaluation
CHAPTER 9 GROCERY CASE STUDIES
Carrefour
Europe's leading grocer
Carrefour private label ranges have been built over 25 years
Carrefour launches discount range
Carrefour's private label has been extended abroad
Casino
The original discounter range
Casino's discount private label - the first relaunch
Coles
Private label downunder inspired by the old world
Delhaize
Revamps US private label
US provides template for Belgium
Eroski and Mercadona
Eroski lowers price of its own brands
Mercadona rationalises private label offer and lowers prices
Metro Group
Caught on the defensive
Real adopts good-better-best after many years
Sainsbury
The Switch and Save campaign
Going Back to Basics
Non-food an integral part of private label offer
Tesco
Adds fourth tier to traditional three-tier private label system
Discount brand is fourth tier
Tesco's private label offer abroad
Waitrose
Even upmarket Waitrose follows rivals into value essentials
US cases: Wal-Mart and Target
Catching up
US retailers have revamped existing private label offers
Wal-Mart upgrades its private label brand
Target replaces bull's eye logo with a big arrow
DIY CASE STUDIES
DIY outlook
Energy efficiency will be key driver
Eco-friendly product ranges become increasingly common
Kingfisher
Europe's largest DIY retailer
B&Q sets example
Praktiker
Private label rationalisation
Bauhaus
CHAPTER 10 ELECTRICALS CASE STUDIES
Energy efficiency - future focus
Best Buy
The world's leading eletricals retailer
Metro Group
Much to do in private label arena
CHAPTER 11 GLOSSARY
Definitions
Abbreviations
List of Tables
Table 1: Monthly HICP rates y-o-y Nov 2008-Apr 2009
Table 2: Monthly unemployment rates y-o-y Oct 2008-Mar 2009
Table 3: Monthly y-o-y change % in retail spend Oct 2008-Mar 2009
List of Figures
Figure 1: GDP for Top 10 countries in EU 2008e
Figure 2: GDP forecast change % for Top 10 EU countries 2008 & 2009
Figure 3: GDP for midsize eight (€100bn+) countries in EU 2008e
Figure 4: GDP forecast change % for middle eight (€100bn+) 2008 & 2009
Figure 5: GDP for smaller nine (€100bn-) countries in EU 2008e
Figure 6: GDP forecast change % for smaller nine (€100bn-) 2008 & 2009
Figure 7: Consumer expenditure of Top 10 EU countries 2007
Figure 8: Countries among other 17 in EU with consumer expenditure of €18bn+ 2007
Figure 9: Countries among other 17 in EU with consumer expenditure of €18bn- 2007
Figure 10: Consumer expenditure as % of GDP 2007
Figure 11: Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices - annual average growth of Top 10 EU countries 2007 & 2008
Figure 12: Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices - countries among other 17 in EU with annual averages over 4.5% 2007 & 2008
Figure 13: Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices - countries among other 17 in EU with annual averages under 4.5% 2007 & 2008
Figure 14: Gross household saving % of gross household disposable income (latest data) 2007
Figure 15: ECB interest rates 2005-2009
Figure 16: Central banks key reference interest rate averages for 2008
Figure 17: Grocery private label volume share May 2009e *
Figure 18: Grocery private label volume share in selected states May 2009
Figure 19: Migros three-tier private label offer 2009
Figure 20: Denner private label, Geneva 2009
Figure 21: Grocery private label value share May 2009e
Figure 22: Grocery private label value share in selected EU states May 2009
Figure 23: EU monthly food price change (HICP y-o-y) May 2008-Apr 2009
Figure 24: Oil spot price FOB weighted by estimated export volume ($/barrel) - monthly Mar 2008-May 2009
Figure 25: Downward spiral of grocery prices in 2009
Figure 26: El Corte Inglés low cost Aliada range 2009
Figure 27: Leader Price's Le Prix Gagnant value line 2008
Figure 28: Leader Price's Le Prix Gagnant brand revamped in 2009
Figure 29: Carrefour private label, Calais, 2008
Figure 30: Carrefour own brand portfolio 2009
Figure 31: Carrefour Discount product examples 2009
Figure 32: Carrefour private labels cater for customer segments 2009
Figure 33: Carrefour own brand bath & shower products, Thailand 2009
Figure 34: Carrefour own brand electronic digital safe, Thailand 2009
Figure 35: Casino private label examples 2009
Figure 36: Casino Gratos private label promotional campaign 2009
Figure 37: Casino own brand portfolio 2009
Figure 38: Casino Délices 2009
Figure 39: Casino Terre et Saveur 2009
Figure 40: Casino Ysiance 2009
Figure 41: Casino non-food private label offer 2009
Figure 42: Leader Price private labels 2009
Figure 43: Delhaize private labels 2009
Figure 44: Delhaize private labels 2009
Figure 45: Eroski el más barato (the cheapest) campaign 2009
Figure 46: Metro private label proposition 2009
Figure 47: Real Selection, Real Bio, Real Quality & Tip 2009
Figure 48: Sainsbury's three-tier own brands 2009
Figure 49: Sainsbury's private label sub brands 2009
Figure 50: Sainsbury's TU clothing 2009
Figure 51: Sainsbury Basics homewares 2009
Figure 52: Sainbury TU homewares 2009
Figure 53: Sainsbury Different by Design homewares 2009
Figure 54: Tesco's three-tier own brands 2009
Figure 55: Tesco private label sub brands 2009
Figure 56: Tesco's Discount brand 2008
Figure 57: Tesco's Discount brand 2008
Figure 58: Tesco Discounter brands in Poland 2009
Figure 59: Tesco Value brand international examples 2009
Figure 60: Essential Waitrose 2009
Figure 61: Wal-Mart's Great Value revamp 2009
Figure 62: Target private label revamp 2009
Figure 63: Homebase Flawless paint 2009
Figure 64: Kingfisher's Colours range 2009
Figure 65: Kingfisher Performance Power range 2009
Figure 66: B&Q runner bean Scarlet Emperor 2009
Figure 67: B&Q loft insulation 2009
Figure 68: Praktiker's Faust private label range 2009
Figure 69: Max Bahr private label 2009
Figure 70: Best Buy - private label 2009
Figure 71: Sungoo LCD TV, Metro's private label brand 2009