THE ENTRY PROCESS FOR THE 2025 AWARDS IS NOW OPEN
The Awards
ESM: European Supermarket Magazine is proud to present the European Private Label Awards, a contest to determine the most impactful and innovative store brands on sale in Europe’s supermarkets. The Awards are open to both retailers and suppliers operating in the European grocery marketplace. There are 17 awards categories, with each product also considered for four overall cross-category awards.
Categories
Ambient Grocery
Beverages (Alcoholic)
Beverages (Non-Alcoholic)
Breakfast Products
Confectionery
Convenience Foods / Food To Go
Dairy Products
Dessert Products
Free-From Foods
Meal Accompaniments
Meat & Seafood
Non-Food (Household)
Non-Food (Personal Care)
Snacking Products
Sauces & Condiments
Tea, Coffee & Hot Drinks
Vegetarian & Vegan
—— ambient grocery
Includes Soups, Canned Products, Conserves, Baby Foods, Baking Products.
—— Beverages (Alcoholic)
Includes Beer, Wine, Spirits, Flavoured Alcoholic Beverages, RTD Alcoholic Beverages.
—— Beverages (Non-Alcoholic)
Includes Soft Drinks, Juices, Energy Drinks, Squashes, Cordials, Mineral Water.
—— Breakfast Products
Includes Breakfast Cereals, Porridge, Breads and Pastries, Breakfast Meats, Jams, Preserves, Juices, Smoothies, Granola Bars and other breakfast products.
—— Confectionery
Includes Chocolate, Sweets, Gums, Mints, Biscuits and other sweet confectionery items.
— Convenience Foods / Food To Go
Includes Ready Meals, Food-to-Go, Pre-Packed Sandwiches and Snacks, Snack Pots, Instant Meals, Prepacked Fresh Berries, Fruit Pots, Chilled Soups.
—— Dairy Products
Includes Milk and Milk Products, Yoghurt, Yoghurt Drinks, Cream, Cheese, Butter, Dairy Spreads, Flavoured Milk, Milkshakes.
—— Dessert Products
Includes Cakes, Cupcakes, Tarts, Ambient, Chilled and Frozen Desserts and Fruit-Based Desserts.
—— Free-From Foods
Includes Gluten-Free, Fat-Free, Egg-Free, Lactose-Free, Nut-Free, Dairy-Free, Soy-Free. Sugar-Free, Yeast-Free, Salt-Free, Wheat-Free, GMO-Free.
—— Meal Accompaniments
Includes Pasta, Rice, Gravy Mixes, Prepared Potato Products, Prepared Side Dishes.
—— Meat & Seafood
Includes Sliced Meats, Chilled Prepared Meats, Meat Products, Seafood Products, Shellfish.
—— Non-Food (Household)
Includes Detergents, Washing Up Liquids, Fabric Softeners, Dishwasher Products, Ignition Products, Refuse Sacks, Household Sprays, Bathroom Cleaners, Kitchen Cleaners, Air Fresheners, Batteries, Hard Surface Cleaners and Pet Products.
—— Non-Food (Personal Care)
Includes Deodorants, Creams, Lotions, Shower Gels, Soaps, Shampoo, Hair Conditioners, Razors, Sanitary Protection, Baby Wipes, Nappies, Diapers, Facial Tissues, Toothpaste, Oral Care Products, Oral Analgesics, Cough & Cold Remedies.
—— Snacking Products
Includes Potato Chips, Popcorn, Savoury Dips, Chips and other savoury snacking items.
—— Sauces & Condiments
Includes Sauces, Marinades, Oils, Salad Dressings, Salt, Pepper, Chutney, Mustard, Stocks and other flavoured ingredients.
—— Tea, Coffee & Hot Drinks
Includes Tea, Coffee, Hot Chocolate and Other Hot Beverages.
All entries will be considered for inclusion in four overall cross-category awards: Innovative Product of The Year, Packaging Excellence Award, Sustainable Product of the Year and Taste Excellence Award. Please note that these categories are not open for entries.
The European Private Label Awards by ESM is a great initiative that puts focus on the great private label development across European retail, and can inspire us all to improve our private label offer further.
– Jean Ladehoff, Group Senior Vice President Grocery/Beverages, Salling Group
SPAR Netherlands is honoured to participate every year in the European Private Label Awards, organised by ESM. We believe with these awards our best private label products get the recognition they deserve. We will definitely participate next year!
– Hinde Kerremans, Brand Management Specialist, SPAR Netherlands
The European Private Label Awards by ESM is an important competition for Lidl Denmark. Top-quality private label products have the highest priority for Lidl Denmark. We will be a proud participant again this year.
– Rasmus Pape, Chief Commercial Officer, Lidl Denmark
The awards had a meritocratic selection process, and have had a positive impact for Ioniki as a winner. All the best to the ESM team for the years ahead!
– Nikos Tsiftsoglou, Head of Exports, Ioniki Sfoliata SA
The European Private Label Awards by ESM is an important competition for displaying new and innovative private label products from European retailers. This competition really shows that private label products have become both unique and innovative, so we are very pleased that ESM is launching these Awards.
– Line Wanderås Németh, Head of Conceptual Development Private Label, Coop Norge SA
The competition clearly shows that private label is so much more than copying branded goods. The new products, innovative concepts and product lines that retailers brought forward will no doubt directly add value to any supermarket shelf
– Sanne Strandskov, Marketing Coordinator, Nopa Nordic
We are delighted with the initiative by ESM to launch these awards, as we believe they are a valuable addition to the European supermarket world.
– Wouter Lefevere, ex-Head Of International Buying, SPAR International
The competition clearly shows that private label is about so much more than copying branded goods. The new products, innovative concepts and product lines that retailers brought forward will no doubt directly add value to any supermarket shelf.
– Sebastiaan Schreijen, RaboResearch Food & Agri (FAR)
The European Private Label Award is an exciting initiative and a great opportunity for us and other European retailers to present our private label products. The initiative contributes to heighten the standards for private labels across Europe.
– Gunhild Nørgaard, Head of Private Label, REMA 1000 Denmark
Realising that our products have been internationally recognised by such a demanding panel gives us great pride, because it confirms that our mission is right – it is possible to be both good and economical.
– Ernesto Cunha, Marketing Administrator, Intermarché Portugal
At Conad, we consider the European Private Label Awards an important annual event that allows us to measure ourselves against other retailers and pushes us to work harder every day to deliver innovation, high quality and convenience.
– Elisa Crisafi, Marketing Assistant MDD, Conad Italy
Why Enter
ESM: European Supermarket Magazine is the leading pan-European grocery industry trade title, with readers comprising C-level executives and senior buyers across Europe and internationally.
The European Private Label Awards has therefore been created to celebrate the ‘best of the best’ when it comes to store brand innovation right across Europe, and celebrate the dynamism of both retailers and suppliers when it comes to developing products that can compete, and in many cases outperform, the biggest brands in the marketplace.
All winners and finalists will be celebrated in a special European Private Label Awards issue of ESM: European Supermarket Magazine, to be published in early 2025.
ABOUT ESM
ESM: The European Supermarket Magazine is Europe’s dedicated magazine for the European grocery sector. ESM is a must-read for senior managers and top-level executives working in the European grocery sector, or supplying the retail industry. Together with its website esmmagazine.com and weekly e-newsletter, European Supermarket Magazine is the go-to trade magazine for the highly competitive European grocery market.