Real tactics for getting your store brand noticed — and stocked
What’s the best way to promote private label products in 2025?
Simple: speak the retailer’s language — and the shopper’s expectations.
Private label has gone premium. Own brands aren’t just shelf-fillers anymore — they’re category leaders, margin drivers, and in many cases, shopper favourites. But to get noticed by supermarket buyers or distributors, your private label promotion needs more than budget.
You need strategy, timing, and retail relevance.
✅ 8 Private Label Product Promotion Strategies That Work
Promote through trade-focused media
Tie promotions to private label trends
Build retailer-specific marketing plans
Offer exclusive SKUs or formats
Lead with packaging and positioning
Sync messaging with store-level tactics
Show data-driven shopper insight
Tell a sustainability or sourcing story
Now let’s break these down.
1. Promote through trade-focused media
If your goal is to reach supermarket buyers, you need to be where buyers look — and that’s not Google Ads or TV commercials.
It’s B2B trade titles, newsletters, and retail insight platforms.
Buyers read to plan, to benchmark, and to source new lines.
2. Tie promotions to trending private label themes
Want traction? Plug into what’s already moving the market:
Plant-based
Plastic-free packaging
Regional sourcing
Family-pack affordability
Health and wellness SKUs
A promotion that supports the buyer’s category goals works way better than a cold pitch.
3. Build retailer-specific marketing plans
Generic sell sheets don’t cut it.
Retailers want to see how your product fits their format, margin model, and promotional calendar.
Aldi and Tesco don’t think the same — your pitch and promo plan shouldn’t either.
If you want listings, your plan needs to look like you’ve already done the category manager’s job for them.
4. Offer exclusive SKUs or formats
Want attention? Offer something no one else gets.
That could be:
A custom pack size
Limited-run flavours
Retailer-first availability
Category-exclusive bundles
Buyers love differentiation — and nothing screams “partner brand” like a product built for their shelf.
5. Lead with packaging and positioning
If your private label product looks like a compromise, it’ll be treated like one.
But if it looks premium, clean, and credible — it starts the pitch for you.
Buyers look for:
Clarity of message
Modern design
Functional benefits on pack
On-shelf standout
This isn’t just packaging — it’s pre-sale advertising.
6. Sync your pitch with store-level activation
Buyers don’t just want a great product. They want a total package — and that includes how you’ll support it once it’s in-store.
Talk about:
Sampling or demo plans
On-shelf signage
Pricing promo calendar
Cross-promotion with store loyalty
If you can show how your product will move once it lands, you’ll move up their list.
7. Show buyer-ready shopper insights
Your claims don’t mean much without backup.
Come prepared with:
Purchase intent data
Shopper testimonials
Repeat purchase rates
Performance in similar channels
Data makes a strong product undeniable — especially in own-brand categories where every inch of shelf must earn its keep.
8. Lead with your story — sustainability, sourcing, impact
Private label isn’t just about margins anymore — it’s about meaning.
Retailers want products that support:
ESG goals
Ethical sourcing
Local supplier partnerships
Packaging reduction efforts
Make your sustainability or sourcing story part of your pitch — not an afterthought.
Final Word: Private label is public now — and it’s competitive.
The biggest mistake suppliers make?
Assuming a store brand doesn’t need full-brand strategy.
But the truth is: private label is more competitive than ever.
And the suppliers that win are the ones who treat their products like a brand — and pitch like a partner.