Manufacturer and Retailer Strategies to Impact Store Brand Share: Global Integration, Local Adaptation, and Worldwide Learning

Abstract

Although store brands (SBs) are becoming increasingly important across the world, their success varies dramatically across consumer packaged goods categories and countries. The purpose of this paper is to provide insight into how such differences in SB success originate. Using a unique data set that combines scanner data for a three- to five-year period with consumer survey data (n = 20,987) for scores of food, household care, and personal care categories from 23 countries around the world, we identify cross-national regularities as to the role of nine manufacturer and retailer factors in explaining SB market share. For each manufacturer and retailer factor, we determine whether it can be part of a global integration strategy, whether it can be included in a local adaptation strategy, or whether it is a candidate for worldwide learning. Our findings have important implications for national brand manufacturers and retailers.