Worried About The Economy, Food Shoppers Continue To Turn To Private Label Brands

About 45 percent of U.S. grocery shoppers are worried enough about the unstable economy – including a four percent food inflation rate – that they continue to purchase cheaper private label food items, according to a survey by business advisory firm Alixpartners LLP. The attraction of private label food items applies across all major food product categories: dairy, frozen foods, fresh produce, flour- and produce-based shelf stables, and refrigerated meat. The survey also found that “price” and “quality” are the two most important criteria when selecting private label items: more than 60 percent indicated that price is the most important factor.