Executive Summary

The UK market for own brands was worth an estimated £57.4bn in 2000. Sales have increased annually since 1996, by a total of 18.6%. In addition to the growth in retail sales overall, the number of own-brand ranges has been increasing, as over-the-counter (OTC) medicines, clothing and footwear, DIY products and electrical appliances have expanded into this market, alongside food, beverages and other grocery products.

The market remains dominated by grocery products, with own-brand food and beverages well established in all the major grocery multiples. Nevertheless, own branding is strong in clothing, through retailers such as Next and Marks & Spencer's, and has been steadily gaining strength in sectors such as cosmetics and toiletries, DIY and medicines.

The majority of companies retailing own brands are UK based. They include the major grocery multiples, the leading own-brand non-food retailers such as Boots and Superdrug, and the DIY chains such as Homebase and B&Q. There are some notable foreign entrants in the market, including Aldi, Netto and Lidl the European discount grocery multiples.

The strong economic situation in the UK has caused a shift in the position of the market. Own brands are no longer seen mainly as low-end product ranges, and there is a growing number of premium own brands which are targeted at upper-mass-market consumers. However, retailers of own brand clothing have been affected adversely by the success of retailers such as Matalan, which specialise in discounting branded goods.

Own brand will remain a strong component of the UK retail scene. If the economy remains strong, own labels will continue to be developed as premium ranges. However, if decline occurs, they can easily revert to their former position as value-for-money products, often serving as loss leaders for the major multiples.

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