Own label has gained share in the majority of categories, helped by a shift towards premium that has pushed up prices at a faster rate than the rest of the market.

Alcohol has proven to be a standout category for own label over the past year, largely down to innovations in gin, premium lager and craft beer. However, the category still remains relatively small for own label, with 15% value share excluding Aldi and Lidl.

Wines and spirits have also shot up at the retailers, again partially down to price rises at the likes of Asda and Sainsbury’s. But there has also been plenty of innovation such as Co-op’s vegan wines and Fairtrade Lebanese SKUs. Over at the discounters, Aldi tapped the low-alcohol trend with the launch of Featherweight wines last summer.

Own label overtrades in ready meals with three quarters of the entire market. The sector increased value by 5.5% over the past year as retailers brought out innovative new recipes such as Waitrose’s vegetarian range (see box, p47) and M&S added Sri Lankan and Japanese dishes to its Taste Asia range.

IRI 2018