"Private labels of FMCG chains in Russia. Results of 2009-2010. Projections till 2012".

The research under the title of Private labels of FMCG chains in Russia. Results of 2009. Projections till 2012 systemizes the data regarding the private label types, directions and strategies of their development and evolution stages of approaches to creation of PL at both the world-wide and Russian markets. The research features comprehensive classification of private labels according to an extensive index of criteria. The authors of the research carried out the analyses of the impact of the economic crises on the world-wide market of consumer goods, described the latest trends of private labels market development in Russia and the world. The report includes detailed description of consumer preferences in relation to private labels in various countries and factors having the effect on variances of consumer’s judgment; as well as comparative characteristics of Russian consumer’s preferences in 2008-2010. The variations in consumption of FMCG goods have been analyzed according to categories and include the corresponding projections till the period of 2010-2012. The indexes of private labels development in the retail trade of Russia and countries of the world have been examined together with description of key factors influencing the increase of the PL share. The research also contains data regarding the development of Pls by the leading world retailers, cases concerning the management practice of their PL portfolios, descriptions of their efficiency intensification methods for PLs. The compiled business references contain information about the directions and results of private labels development of 30 FMCG major Russian retail chains in 2009, descriptions of their mid-term plans in the area of PL; the principal restrictions of PL development, as well as formularized recommendations for retailers and producers related to efficiency intensification за PLs. Also the research includes evaluation of PL segment development potential for the FMCG market of Russia till the end of 2012.

In the process of researching the PL market of Russia the specialists of INFOLine IA have identified specific problems in the area of PL creation and promotion, which are distinguishing for the Russian market exclusively. These problems play the role of the major road-blocks, which constrain the development of private labels and considerably divert the evolution vector of Russian consumer goods market away from world-wide trends. The central one of them is incorrect KPI of PL departments in retail chains (which prefer to orient themselves at the number of launched SKU, but not the sales figures), and that determines low efficiency of the most of new commodities under PL and absence of the essential support of private labels in retail chains (this situation has a particularly negative impact on umbrella brands), as well as unwillingness of retail chains to furnish any kind of guarantees to the producers, and that prevents shaping of a long-term partnership. Under the conditions of the economic crises the sales and distribution problems forced the suppliers to agree with virtually any conditions set forth by retail chains during the release of PL, and at the present time the retailers follow the same strategy, they do not provide any guarantees regarding the volumes and time terms of PL purchases or buying-out PL packaging etc. As the result, it becomes unpractical for small-sized producers to develop private labels and they are gradually winding down this direction of activities. As far as the major producers are concerned, they continue production of commodities under their PLs, and that allows for some positive (though rather modest) influence оn the positions of the producer’s private labels in the given retail chain as well as optimization of logistical costs. Because of the above-indicated factors the specialists of INFOLine IA are inclined to rather cautiously estimate the prospects of PL share increase in Russia and do not expect any explosive growth of PL share in mid-term perspective (till the time when retailers will have to reconsider their strategies of development of this business line and will put actual actions for formation of strong brands of retail chains into practice instead of their proclamation). One of the most important problems of PL development in Russia remains the quality of the production. In spite of universal recognition of the significance of the PL goods qualitative characteristics at the world-wide level, Russian retail chains do not devote due attention to the quality control. In practice 2 approaches to this activity have come to existence. In the first instant it is the PL specialist who is entrusted with responsibility to control quality of PL goods. This responsibility is not supported with the necessary resources and turns out to be a sheer formality and profanation. The majority of regional retail chains follow this arrangement in view of limited resources and lack of strategic outlook at their own private labels prospects (though many federal-level retailers used to follow this approach too until quite recently). The alternative approach is participation of an external auditor for execution of the examinations. This approach is practiced by such companies as X5 Retail Group, Metro and Auchan. Outsourcing has a number of disadvantages too. By avoiding being involved in the process of PL quality control, the customer makes the supplier vulnerable to possible abuses of external auditors, deprives the PL management of valuable information related to nuances of technological processes and specifications of the output goods. Non-systematic quality control of PL by times increases the risk chances for the retail chain regarding the sales volumes and the good repute of the chain as well.

The branch research of Private labels of FMCG Chains in Russia. Results of 2009-2010. Projections till 2012 includes analyses of the following trends:

Dynamics of private label goods consumption at the retail chains in the countries of the world;

Changes in the PL policy of the retail chains under the recessions conditions in respect of the prices determination, product mix range, product categories, target consumer segments;

Variations in consumer behavior at the food commodities market of Russia;

Variations of attitude of consumers in the countries of the world towards private labels;

Ways of PL portfolio management efficiency intensification in the leading international retail chains.