European private label hit 38.6%
volume share in H1 2026.
Here's who's driving it.
Discounters are above 70% own-brand penetration. Mercadona crossed 62%. Dairy and ambient
are capitulating fastest — FMCG margin compression is running at
8–14pppp
in the categories brands once owned. 22 retailers ranked. 4 categories tracked. Sources cited.
38.6%EU PL VOLUME SHARE H1 2026
+2.1ppYOY SHARE GAIN 2024–2026
9EU MARKETS ABOVE 40% PL SHARE
8–14ppFMCG MARGIN COMPRESSION (EST.)
LM-2026 Private Label Penetration Index · 2025–H1 2026 data · Sources: PLMA, NielsenIQ, IRI, McKinsey, retailer annual reports
Full 22-retailer PL share ranking with YoY growth, category heatmap breakdown,
and analyst commentary on where brands are losing aisle share fastest — including
which categories are most exposed and which retailers are accelerating.
PRIVATE LABEL PENETRATION BY CATEGORY — TOP 5 RETAILERS4 categories · volume-weighted
Category
EU Avg
Lidl
Aldi
Mercadona
Migros
Tesco
🥛 DairyPL UNIT SHARE %
62.3%
79.1%
77.4%
81.2%
72.8%
56.3%
🥫 AmbientPL UNIT SHARE %
54.1%
82.3%
80.6%
71.4%
61.9%
47.2%
🥬 FreshPL UNIT SHARE %
48.7%
68.4%
66.1%
74.9%
63.2%
52.8%
🧴 Non-foodPL UNIT SHARE %
41.2%
88.6%
86.2%
54.1%
47.8%
38.9%
Methodology: Penetration = volume-weighted own-label unit share within each category, H1 2026.
Heat levels: extreme (>80%), very-high (65–80%), high (45–65%), mid (<45%).
EU averages across tracked markets: DE, UK, FR, ES, NL, CH, IT, BE, PT, PL.
Sources: NielsenIQ category reports, IRI Private Label Watch, retailer annual reports 2025.
Full retailer-level category breakdowns and brand displacement signals available to members.
SOURCES — EU PRIVATE LABEL PENETRATION INDEX (LM-2026)
PLMA 2024/2025 Yearbook — Primary EU private label market share and category penetration reference
NielsenIQ Private Label Reports — UK, DE, NL, CH, ES, IT unit share and category data 2025–H1 2026
IRI Private Label Watch — FR, ES, PT, IT, NL quarterly own-brand and category tracking
See the full 22-retailer ranking, all 4 categories, and where brands are losing aisle share fastest.
The Private Label Penetration Index is one layer of a broader intelligence service tracking
every strategic shift in the EUR 2.4T European grocery market — monthly memos,
M&A teardowns, retailer deep dives, store tours. FMCG strategy teams use it to
model shelf exposure before budget season.