VIEWPOINT PRIVATE LABEL:
SUPERMARKET SECRETS Nicky Jepson, marketing director, Workhouse Creative Agency
WHAT COMES TO mind when you hear the term ‘private label’? For many, it’s still associated with super-functional products that give customers a cheap and cheerful alternative to the big brands. Ranges that often sit out of sight, confined to the bottom shelf. But things are changing. Following in the footsteps of consumer retail and FMCG, private label in the built environment is starting to flex its muscles to drive differentiation, innovation and category leadership – and it’s a strategy that’s worth considering.
Humble beginnings To understand the rise of private label, we need to look back to supermarkets in the 1960s and 70s. It all started with the likes of Kwik-Save and their No-Frills range, Fine Fare’s distinctive Yellow Pack and who can forget the eternally optimistic Happy Shopper products. The big hitters quickly followed suit with names like Just Essentials, Stockwell and Stamford Street making regular appearances in shopping trollies across the country. These ranges all have one thing in common – they are built around value rather than quality.
Scan the shelves today and while those budget ranges still exist, it’s the premium private labels that are taking up more space – but why? Increased investment in product development, quality ingredients and improved packaging has changed customer perceptions and driven demand. Premium own-brand products are now considered as good as, or better than, named brands. These ranges allow supermarkets to differentiate from their rivals, provide an alternative for people who are scrutinising their
private label becomes the generic, unmemorable option in a sea of functional products.
While merchants may see private label as a route to margin, tradespeople want reliability, and consumers want reassurance. A successful strategy needs to deliver all three simultaneously.
Getting it right
spending, deliver improved profit margins and give retailers greater control over the supply chain and trends.
It’s a win-win and the built environment has followed. Private label strategies are no longer an afterthought; they’re now being used as a powerful lever for growth.
Private potential The opportunity for merchants is huge. Firstly, there’s the potential for category leadership. Private label allows you to shape categories on your terms. By filling gaps, offering tiered ranges and defining new quality benchmarks, you can set the pace rather than following global suppliers.
A strong private label portfolio captures greater margin and ties customer loyalty more tightly to you. Instead of building value into someone else’s brand, private label locks that value into your own ecosystem. It also offers huge potential for agility and innovation. A private label brand can move faster than a global competitor, responding quickly to trends driven by factors such as design-led outdoor living or sustainability considerations. That agility makes you more relevant
February 2026
www.buildersmerchantsjournal.net
to trades by being able to answer their customers’ needs. Finally, there’s the matter of trust and credibility. When executed with creativity, private label brands stop looking like brand copies and become credible, trusted choices. Given reputation is vital to tradespeople, that trust is priceless.
Keep your eyes open Building that trust isn’t without its challenges and it’s important to enter the private label process with a clear understanding of the stigma that still exists for some, particularly in more technical sectors. Having a plan to tackle it is key.
We’ve already ascertained that some people still see private label as a cheaper option, but there are other factors to consider. Installers and trade professionals often default to the brands they know, and their customers are likely to request big names they’ve seen advertised or endorsed by influencers. Getting them to make the switch takes time.
It can also be easy to consider private label for functional categories as a starting point. Unfortunately, products such as adhesives, tools and flooring systems can struggle to fire the imagination. The risk here is that
A private label’s potential relies on creative brand thinking. Without it, private labels remain a vacuous and voiceless commodity. With it, private label can develop into a portfolio of distinctive assets. A solid creative strategy and ambitious plan must be put in place from the beginning. Here’s what to consider: • Naming and identity that are thoroughly researched and feel as considered as any national brand. Involve your audience to understand their wants and needs and position yourself to tackle their pain points. • Messaging and positioning that signal expertise, quality and credibility. Only by doing this will you be able to convince people to make the switch. • Design systems that build consistency across a portfolio, while giving each brand its own voice. • Storytelling that elevates a product or range from a functional purchase to an aspirational choice. • Working with a manufacturer who can scale with you and ensure you’re able to respond to trends quickly.
When a portfolio of private label brands is underpinned by a forward-thinking, category- defining strategy, it does more than drive sales. It changes how customers see merchants; from a distributor of other people’s products to a trusted brand builder in their own right. BMJ
17
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40
