In the first half of 2025, private labels have delivered outstanding performance within the U.S. retail sector. According to HRCOC’s internal report, private label dollar sales rose 4.4% year-over-year—four times the 1.1% growth posted by national brands. This reflects a steadily increasing consumer preference for store brands.
We project private label sales to close 2025 at around $277 billion, surpassing the record $271 billion reached in 2024. In addition, during the first six months of the year, store brands also outperformed national brands in unit sales: +0.4% versus –0.6%.
Most notably, during this same period, private labels achieved record market share: 21.2% of dollar sales and 23.2% of unit sales. This confirms that both Hispanic and mainstream U.S. consumers are valuing the unique combination of quality, competitive pricing, and innovation offered by private labels.
Julio Ibanez, HRCOC President, noted, “It’s exciting to see store brands continue on a strong trajectory this year. Shoppers are clearly recognizing their value proposition as a reliable, high-quality alternative to traditional brands.”
Category details reinforce this trend. In the 52 weeks ending August 15, private labels grew in seven of nine categories. The refrigerated segment led with +13%, followed by beverages (+4.8%), frozen foods (+3.8%), total grocery (+2.5%), pet care (+2%), household care (+1.4%), and beauty (+1.1%). Only general merchandise (–0.4%) and health (–0.1%) posted declines.
In unit sales, eight of the nine categories posted gains, led by beverages (+4.2%), household care (+3.4%), and pet care (+3.3%). The only exception was general merchandise, down 2.5%.
“These results show us that private labels are not only resilient but also innovative and strategic in household consumption baskets,” Ibanez added. “At HRCOC, we will continue to support retailers and manufacturers in strengthening this category, which is now making a clear difference in the relationship between consumers and retail.”
