A recent Boston Consulting Group (BCG) research report showed responsible products accounted for two-thirds of grocery product growth in 2013. That’s a pretty incredible number considering how grocery brands have been struggling.
The number that has been getting the press in recent years has been the growth in private label to 18 percent of grocery sales — but with 96 percent penetration, growth should slow. And while we have been worrying about the impact of private label on the bottom line, high-margin “responsible products” have grown to a surprising 15 percent of grocery sales! This is not news for top-tier natural brands, but may be a hidden opportunity for conventional brands