A growth in the own-label sector is driving interest in the PLMA 2005 World of Private Label international trade show to be held at the RAI Centre in Amsterdam on May 24-25.

Show organizers report there is already a 10 per cent increase in the number of exhibitors and units, with the gains coming in both the food and non-food sectors. The Trade Show will be held on May 24-25 at the RAI Centre in Amsterdam.

“The gain in exhibitors and units is being driven by a surge private label growth that is taking place in all European countries as well as by the ongoing eastward expansion of the European Union,” according to Brian Sharoff, president of PLMA.

“The surge in private label sales is documented in the latest ACNielsen data, which will soon be published in PLMA’s 2005 International Private Label Yearbook. It will show that retailer and wholesaler brands in countries such as Germany and Belgium are now reaching market shares comparable to the 40 per cent level that is traditionally posted in the United Kingdom,” he said.

“Private label share is expected to be recorded at 41 per cent in Belgium and 38 per cent in Germany, while retailer and wholesaler brands in France and Spain will be above 30 per cent for the first time. Private label market share also is up in The Netherlands, Italy, Scandinavia as well as the UK,” according to Sharoff.

The increase in the number of exhibitors from central and eastern Europe is of special interest. There will be new national pavilions from Slovenia and Lithuania in addition to exhibitors from Poland, The Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, and Estonia. Exhibitors from more than 60 countries around the world, including 28 national or regional pavilions, will be at the show and in addition almost all of the pavilions present at last year’s show will expand their space this year.

A special feature at this year’s event is The Idea Supermarket, a new area that displays private label product ranges in food and non-food categories sold by leading retailers and wholesalers from Europe, the US and around the world. The Idea Supermarket also will include racks of trade publications covering retail trends around the globe.

The event is preceded by a seminar programme on May 23 that focuses on important strategic issues. The Secrets of Successful Private Label Packaging will be discussed by Bertrand Chovet, Paris-Venice Design. The latest research on how consumers really shop will be presented by Rien de Koning, GFK Panel Services Benelux B.V. Beyond Price: Looking at Discounter’s Strategies to Attract the Smart Shopper will be the topic of the final presentation, given by Jurgen Elfers, Commerzbank.

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