Private Label Across Europe: 2024 Figures Show Another Successful Year
Europe's private labels: a growing force in retail
Organic momentum builds at PLMA as De Bioborrel's Organic Happy Hour brings industry together in Amsterdam

Organic and plant-based products continue to gain momentum across Europe’s private label sector, a trend clearly reflected at PLMA’s World of Private Label International Trade Show, taking place on 19–20 May at the RAI Amsterdam. With around 30% of the exhibition floor dedicated to organic, vegan and plant-based offerings, including dedicated organic pavilions organised by Food From Denmark, Consorzio Il Biologico and the Polish Chamber of Organic Food, the event underscores a broader shift towards more sustainable and health-conscious consumption.

Against this backdrop, De BioBorrel, a Dutch non-profit initiative focused on strengthening connections across the organic value chain, will host its Organic Happy Hour networking event on Tuesday 19 May from 18:30 to 19:30 in the Emerald Lounge at the RAI. Founded in 2017, De BioBorrel brings together stakeholders ranging from farmers and processors to retailers and consumers, with the aim of supporting the transition to a more sustainable food system.

The event will feature a keynote by Paul Holmbeck, a recognised authority in the organic sector and former Director of Organic Denmark. Holmbeck now advises governments, retailers and industry bodies across Europe on strategies to accelerate organic growth.

The networking session, which includes organic refreshments, offers attendees an opportunity to exchange insights and explore the commercial potential of organics in private label. Only a limited number of tickets is available for this event, so if you are interested in hearing more from Paul Holmbeck on organics, and what it could do for your company, make sure to reserve your spot directly from De BioBorrel via this link.

Cost: €15 p.p. including two organic drinks and bites.

Discounters to drive grocery growth to 2030, says IGD

Discounters are set to outpace the wider grocery market through to 2030, reinforcing their growing influence on the global retail landscape, according to a new report from IGD.

The Global discount trends 2026 report forecasts the channel will grow at a compound annual rate of 4.8%, ahead of the total grocery market’s 4.0%. Growth will be driven by continued consumer demand for value, ongoing store expansion and faster innovation across operations and product development.

IGD highlights that discounters are shedding their low-cost image and evolving into more sophisticated operators, with stronger brand perception and resilience to changing shopper spending. By 2030, the channel is expected to account for 9.7% of global grocery sales, adding around £156bn in revenue.

Europe will remain the sector’s core market, with discounters projected to hold a 23.6% share. However, expansion in the US and parts of Eastern Europe is expected to accelerate growth. Major players such as Aldi and Lidl are forecast to generate combined sales of approximately £249bn by the end of the decade.

The report also identifies faster growth in variety discounters, alongside four key trends shaping the sector: enhanced value propositions beyond price, greater focus on health, improved in-store engagement, and increased transparency around sustainability.

For suppliers, IGD stresses the need for closer collaboration with discounters, particularly in areas such as private label, supply chain efficiency and value-led innovation, as the channel continues to gain momentum globally.

Amazon on top, but grocery giants dominate European retail rankings

Amazon has overtaken Schwarz Group to become Europe’s largest retailer by gross merchandise value (GMV), according to the latest European Top 50 ranking from Retail Cities. The report includes companies in the consumer goods, restaurant, specialty, fashion, and e-commerce sectors. However, the report underscores the continued dominance of grocery retailers, which occupy every position from second to twelfth place.

While Amazon’s rise reflects the growing influence of ecommerce and platform-based models, the rankings reveal that traditional food retail remains the backbone of European consumer spending. Schwarz Group, alongside other major grocers such as Aldi, Edeka and Tesco, continues to command significant scale, with the grocery sector benefiting from its essential role in household expenditure.

The 2026 report, based on Retail Cities’ business intelligence database, uses GMV to measure total ecosystem sales across physical stores, ecommerce and franchise operations. This methodology highlights the resilience of large supermarket groups, whose extensive store networks and increasing investment in digital capabilities have enabled them to maintain strong positions in the rankings.

European retail spending exceeded €4.5 trillion in 2025, growing by €162 billion, or 3.7%. The Top 50 retailers captured €103 billion of this increase—around 64% of total growth—raising their combined share of consumer spending to 41%.

Although ecommerce players recorded faster growth rates overall, no physical retail segment matched the scale and consistency of grocery. The concentration of grocers in the upper tier of the rankings illustrates the sector’s defensive strength, even amid subdued real-term growth and inflationary pressures.

According to the Retail Cities European Top 50 Report, the findings point to a dual dynamic in European retail: rapid innovation at the top, led by Amazon, alongside enduring market power among large grocery operators that continue to anchor the industry.

PLMA’s European Private Label Market Report available online

PLMA’s first ever, annual European Private Label Market Report, titled "A Mosaic of Markets: PLMA’s 2026 Report On The Status Of Private Label Across Europe," is now available online. 

The report details sales results during 2025 of both private label and manufacturer brands across seventeen countries monitored exclusively for the Private Label Manufacturers Association International Council by NielsenIQ. Going forward, it is PLMA’s plan to provide the report yearly to members, retailers and others in the European private label community.

Discounters to drive grocery growth to 2030, says IGD

Discounters are set to outpace the wider grocery market through to 2030, reinforcing their growing influence on the global retail landscape, according to a new report from IGD.

The Global discount trends 2026 report forecasts the channel will grow at a compound annual rate of 4.8%, ahead of the total grocery market’s 4.0%. Growth will be driven by continued consumer demand for value, ongoing store expansion and faster innovation across operations and product development.

IGD highlights that discounters are shedding their low-cost image and evolving into more sophisticated operators, with stronger brand perception and resilience to changing shopper spending. By 2030, the channel is expected to account for 9.7% of global grocery sales, adding around £156bn in revenue.

Europe will remain the sector’s core market, with discounters projected to hold a 23.6% share. However, expansion in the US and parts of Eastern Europe is expected to accelerate growth. Major players such as Aldi and Lidl are forecast to generate combined sales of approximately £249bn by the end of the decade.

The report also identifies faster growth in variety discounters, alongside four key trends shaping the sector: enhanced value propositions beyond price, greater focus on health, improved in-store engagement, and increased transparency around sustainability.

For suppliers, IGD stresses the need for closer collaboration with discounters, particularly in areas such as private label, supply chain efficiency and value-led innovation, as the channel continues to gain momentum globally.

Amazon on top, but grocery giants dominate European retail rankings

Amazon has overtaken Schwarz Group to become Europe’s largest retailer by gross merchandise value (GMV), according to the latest European Top 50 ranking from Retail Cities. The report includes companies in the consumer goods, restaurant, specialty, fashion, and e-commerce sectors. However, the report underscores the continued dominance of grocery retailers, which occupy every position from second to twelfth place.

While Amazon’s rise reflects the growing influence of ecommerce and platform-based models, the rankings reveal that traditional food retail remains the backbone of European consumer spending. Schwarz Group, alongside other major grocers such as Aldi, Edeka and Tesco, continues to command significant scale, with the grocery sector benefiting from its essential role in household expenditure.

The 2026 report, based on Retail Cities’ business intelligence database, uses GMV to measure total ecosystem sales across physical stores, ecommerce and franchise operations. This methodology highlights the resilience of large supermarket groups, whose extensive store networks and increasing investment in digital capabilities have enabled them to maintain strong positions in the rankings.

European retail spending exceeded €4.5 trillion in 2025, growing by €162 billion, or 3.7%. The Top 50 retailers captured €103 billion of this increase—around 64% of total growth—raising their combined share of consumer spending to 41%.

Although ecommerce players recorded faster growth rates overall, no physical retail segment matched the scale and consistency of grocery. The concentration of grocers in the upper tier of the rankings illustrates the sector’s defensive strength, even amid subdued real-term growth and inflationary pressures.

According to the Retail Cities European Top 50 Report, the findings point to a dual dynamic in European retail: rapid innovation at the top, led by Amazon, alongside enduring market power among large grocery operators that continue to anchor the industry.

Grocery retailers expand in-store services that promote 'health'

Across Europe, grocery retailers are increasingly extending their role beyond food retail into health, wellbeing and lifestyle services. The move reflects both changing consumer expectations and mounting pressure on public healthcare systems, with prevention and everyday health management becoming more prominent.

In Belgium, Colruyt Group launched its Yoboo lifestyle pharmacies combining traditional pharmaceutical services with nutrition advice, diagnostics and curated healthy food ranges. The concept illustrates a broader ambition to build an integrated “food and health” ecosystem, linking retail, digital tools and personalised guidance.

Elsewhere, similar initiatives are emerging. In the Netherlands, Albert Heijn has expanded its in-store health proposition through partnerships with dieticians and digital personal training and coaching via its app, alongside a growing assortment of functional and health-focused products. The retailer positions itself as a facilitator of healthier living rather than solely a grocer.

In the UK, Tesco and Sainsbury's have both introduced health services ranging from pharmacy counters to opticians and, in some locations, GP-style clinics operated with third-party providers. Meanwhile, Boots, often co-located with grocery, continues to deepen its healthcare offer, piloting in-store weight-loss clinics in a dozen locations, highlighting the growing convergence between food, pharmacy and primary care.

France provides further examples. Carrefour has invested in in-store clinics and telemedicine solutions, enabling customers to consult healthcare professionals while shopping. The retailer has also emphasised preventive health through nutrition scoring and tailored product recommendations.

In Germany, dm-drogerie markt has expanded wellness services, including in-store consultations and a broad offer spanning nutrition, supplements and personal care, blurring the lines between drugstore and health hub.

These developments point to a structural shift: stores are evolving into local service centres where food, health advice and lifestyle support intersect. For retailers, this creates new revenue streams and deeper customer relationships. For consumers, it offers accessible, everyday touchpoints for managing health, often embedded within routine shopping journeys.

One scan, one score, big consequences: Why Yuka app matters to grocers

Launched in France in 2017, the Yuka app has evolved from a niche nutrition tool into a notable force shaping grocery retail and product formulation. Created by Julie Chapon and co-founders after concerns about hidden ingredients in everyday foods, the app allows shoppers to scan barcodes and receive a simple health score based on nutritional quality, additives and organic status. 

Yuka’s growth has been rapid. Today, it is available in around 12 countries, including key markets such as United Kingdom, Germany, Spain, Italy and France, as well as the United States, Canada and Australia. Its strongest penetration remains in Europe, where alignment with schemes such as Nutri-Score and heightened consumer scrutiny of ultra-processed foods have accelerated adoption.

For grocery businesses, the app’s influence is no longer theoretical. Yuka now counts tens of millions of users globally, and its scoring system is actively shaping purchasing decisions at shelf level. In France, manufacturers have already reformulated products to avoid poor ratings, particularly by reducing additives, sugar and salt. Domestic retailer Intermarché just announced that starting in spring, it will display Yuka ratings for all of its 6,000 private label products on its online ordering service. 

A notable recent development is its growing impact in the United States, now one of its fastest-growing markets, with tens of millions of users and rising influence on major brands. This transatlantic expansion is creating a feedback loop: European-style transparency expectations are increasingly affecting US product development, while multinational FMCG companies face consistent scrutiny across markets.

The broader trend is clear. Yuka and similar systems are effectively acting as informal regulators, simplifying complex nutritional science into a single score that can sway consumer choice instantly. For grocers and suppliers, this raises both risk and opportunity: poor scores can damage sales, while cleaner formulations and transparency can become a competitive advantage in an increasingly health-driven retail environment.