Baking Mixes, Soup and Prepared Foods Among Fastest Growing Private Label Categories

Shopper intelligence firm Catalina has shared new data that identifies which private label categories are seeing sales growth amid record inflation.

According to Catalina’s Shopper Intelligence Platform, baking mixes (+40%), soup (+17%), prepared foods (+12%), dried vegetables (+11%) and canned fish (+10%) have the highest category growth compared to last year through July 17, 2022. Private label cereal and baby food each increased 6%, and deodorant grew 4% since last year.

“The data clearly indicates that shoppers have become more price-sensitive and value-driven in recent months,” said Sean Murphy, Chief Data & Analytics Officer. “Our platform powers these sorts of insights, helping us advise our retailer and CPG customers on the most effective shopper audiences, marketing messages and offers to measurably impact sales.”

Catalina says that the rise in unit sales of private label staples like canned fish and soup indicates consumers are looking for affordable lunch and dinner solutions as food prices hit record highs and consumers cut back on certain necessities.

Private brand cereals benefitted as the USDA reported that name brand cereals have risen between 10-11% this year. While the pandemic-fueled trend of scratch baking has declined, baking mixes remain popular, with shoppers increasingly opting for store brand mixes.

As more consumers return to the office, purchases of affordable personal grooming items like deodorant as well as prepared foods also saw sales rise in the first half of the year. Shoppers also are buying private brand baby food and formula, looking for alternatives amidst a nationwide shortage of brand name products in the category.