Catalina data shows boom in private label baby sales
New data from shopper intelligence company Catalina is highlighting big growth in sales of private brand baby-related products. Since March 1, the company has tracked more than $100 million in sales for baby-related items.
Catalina’s Buyer Intelligence Database further found that the number of shoppers buying retailer private brand baby products has grown by 18% since March 1, with category sales up 10% and trips up 6%.
Wes Bean, senior vice president of Catalina’s U.S. retail network, attributed the growth to shoppers becoming more aware of retailers’ private label offerings as they narrowed the number of stores they shopped.
“Before the pandemic, three-quarters of shoppers visited more than one retailer each week seeking greater value, variety — or both. As shoppers limited their number of trips due to health concerns, they began to explore new aisles — and new products to maximize their visits,” Bean said. “As living rooms turned into daycare centers and baby showers went virtual during lockdowns, shoppers gravitated toward private brands to fulfill their needs when it came to baby product categories — and they have continued to buy them.”
For the 15-week period ended June 13, Catalina looked at three categories and saw favorable trends both from existing private brand buyers — those who had purchased private brands in the 13 weeks before the pandemic began in earnest — and new private brand buyers, who shifted from name brands after March 1. In the bottles and accessories segment, existing shopper sales for private brands grew by 34% year over year as new private brand shoppers grew by 83% year over year. Baby juice and water saw year-over-year increases of 63% for existing private brand shoppers and 47% for new private brand shoppers. In baby clothes and apparel, there was an 83% uptick among existing private brand shoppers and a whopping 147% increase among new private brand shoppers.
“New and expanding families are likely looking for value and see retailer private brands as a way to purchase items they would have typically received at a baby shower,” Bean said. “While the private brands sales growth may have started with pantry stocking during the pandemic, repeat purchases are a trend to watch in the months ahead.”