The aim of this paper is to identify and discuss the main advantages and disadvantages of wholesaler´s own brands for small and medium retailers. In a qualitative, exploratory study, 15 semi-structured interviews with supermarket retailers were conducted. The results show that the advantages and disadvantages mentioned by the interviewed retailers were similar to those obtained in a literature review, which was mostly based on large retailers and wholesalers. The interviewed retailers also mentioned difficulties inherent to wholesaler brands. It was also found that only retailers associated with the wholesaler benefit from the association between the brand and the store, as independent retailers have restrictions in bonding the brands to their stores. Independent retailers primarily benefit from higher profit margins. The disadvantages and difficulties encountered in offering wholesaler brands are also mentioned by the interviewed retail customers.
Own brands; Wholesale distributor; Supermarket retailer
