More Than Generic: The Strategic Shift That Is Making Store Brands Category Contenders

What's happening:

Store brands have moved from a budget-friendly fallback to a mainstream choice for many consumers. With inflation and cost-consciousness shaping shopping habits, more people are embracing private labels not only for essentials but across a wide range of categories. The perception gap with national brands has narrowed, as shoppers increasingly see store-brand items as equal in quality and performance, and sometimes even better. For younger consumers in particular, private labels reflect a smart and confident choice, underscoring a broader shift in how people define value today.

What we found:

• Almost half of consumers (45%) say they use store brands more now than a few years ago, while very few (4%) say they use them less.
• 60% report buying a mix of national and store brands, showing it’s not an either/or choice but category-dependent.
• In most categories, an average of 53% say store brands perform about the same as national brands, and about a quarter say they perform better. Skepticism runs higher in electronics and home improvement, where an average of 24% of respondents feel store brands perform worse in these categories. 
• Gen Z (60%) and Millennials (71%) are more likely to try store-brand first when trying something new, suggesting that private labels may gain even more traction over time. 

Why it matters:

The growing acceptance of store brands highlights how much consumer expectations of value and quality have evolved. Shoppers are open to alternatives when they feel confident in the product, which raises the bar for all brands to deliver on both performance and perceived value. For national brands, this shift offers an opportunity to sharpen their story, focusing on innovation, trust, and the elements that make them distinct. In a marketplace where consumers feel empowered with more choices than ever, standing out is about clarity and showing the unique strengths that only your brand can deliver.

(N=944, MoE ±3.2%, 95% CI,

Data Collected: August 8-10 2025)

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