Marketing de la distribution : les labels Carrefour

Given the surge of discounting in France, various chains are keen to develop their own brand stores (retailers). In what concerns hypermarkets, the private labels are becoming increasingly important, especially with the declining purchasing power of households. In some cases equivalent quality private labels have even been produced by the same companies as national brands.

The national brands are less prominently displayed in stores. The year 2006 saw for many chains an overhaul of both national and store brands due to the congestion of shelves. Thus, Intermarché and Système U removed their competitor's goods. Brand name products hold a considerable share of the market in France, though they have not yet reached the share they have in Great Britain where they were pioneered back in 1869 in Sainsbury's stores.

In the first part we will study the role of private labels in merchandising strategy, then in the second part the competitive benefits of private labels.