NEW YORK — Private label products continued to gain traction with U.S. shoppers in the first half of 2025, outpacing national brands in both dollar and unit sales growth, according to new data from Circana released exclusively to the Private Label Manufacturers Association (PLMA).
For the six-month period ending June 15, dollar sales of store brands rose 4.4% year-over-year across all retail outlets, far exceeding the 1.1% increase recorded by national brands. Unit sales for store brands edged up 0.4%, while units for national brands declined 0.6%.
“It’s exciting to see store brands continue on a strong trajectory this year,” said Peggy Davies, president of PLMA. “Shoppers are clearly recognizing the unbeatable combination of quality, value, and innovation that store brands bring to the table.”
The gains pushed store brand market share to all-time highs: 21.2% of dollar sales and 23.2% of unit sales during the first half of 2025, underscoring the growing consumer appetite for private label alternatives.
Department-Level Growth Led by Refrigerated, Beverages, and Frozen
Store brand performance varied across departments, with seven of nine showing positive dollar sales growth over the 52-week period ending June 15. Leading the charge was the refrigerated category, which posted a 13% jump in dollar sales, reflecting heightened consumer demand for fresh and chilled options.
Other strong performers included beverages (+4.8%), frozen foods (+3.8%), general food (+2.5%), pet care (+2%), home care (+1.4%), and beauty (+1.1%). Only general merchandise (-0.4%) and health products (-0.1%) registered slight declines.
In terms of unit volume, private labels also outperformed national brands in nearly every department. Beverages led with a 4.2% increase in unit sales, followed by home care (+3.4%), pet care (+3.3%), frozen (+2.1%), refrigerated (+1.3%), general food (+1.2%), beauty (+0.4%), and health (+0.3%). General merchandise was the lone laggard, with unit sales down 2.5%.
2025 Sales Projected to Set New Record
With continued momentum, PLMA projects that total store brand sales will approach $277 billion in 2025, up from a record $271 billion in 2024. The figures reflect both ongoing consumer interest in value-driven purchases and retailers’ investment in enhancing their private label offerings across food, household, and personal care categories.
“Now is the time to lean in,” Davies said, pointing to the importance of retailer and supplier collaboration in fueling further growth. She urged industry stakeholders to participate in PLMA’s upcoming educational and networking programs, including the annual Private Label Trade Show in November and various executive development initiatives.
Growing Ecosystem for Private Label Collaboration
In addition to the trade show, PLMA is offering a robust calendar of programming to support private label innovation and enterprise sales development. Registration is now open for the association’s Executive Education and Mastering Enterprise Sales programs. The next edition of PLMA Live! presents Lunch and Learn and the Meet the Retailers online speaker series will feature experts from Associated Wholesale Grocers (AWG), Misfits Market, and Thrive Market, among others.
Looking ahead to 2026, PLMA is preparing for its Leadership Conference in Bentonville and gearing up for the return of Store Brands Month this January — both seen as key opportunities for industry engagement.
“With consumer demand on the rise and more retailers doubling down on store brand strategies, the opportunities to connect, learn, and lead have never been more essential,” Davies said.
For more on sales trends and analysis, PLMA is directing stakeholders to its latest PLMA Live! news report, which provides additional context and commentary on first-half 2025 performance.
