Xin Ou
Research expert covering Greater China
Private labels in Japan - statistics & facts
Private labels generally refer to products produced by contract manufacturers and sold by the retailer owning the brand. In Japan, private labels are synonymous with self-managed store brands of retailers competing with national brands. The first private labels entered the Japanese retail market at the end of the 1950s, with big retail chain operators following in the decades after. One of the most successful private brands from the early period was Mujirushi Ryohin, owned by Ryohin Keikaku. Better known by the brand name Muji, the no-brand label was introduced as a private brand for supermarket chains under the Seiyu Group umbrella before it became an independent brand with a dedicated store network.
