UPF-BSM students tackle a challenge on private labels and manufacturer brands with Mercadona, Nestlé, Casa Ametller, and Violife

The Third Edition of the Retail Chair Challenge arrives this year to challenge UPF Barcelona School of Management students to solve the crossroads between private labels and manufacturer brands.

Private labels are approaching 50% of the market share in Spain and Europe, compared to barely 20% a decade ago. They are gaining prominence on the shelves not only because of their low and stable prices but also due to their quality, proximity to the customer, and convenience. This growing trend is forcing supermarkets to operate with low margins.

On the other hand, to address this reality, manufacturer brands, which aim for leadership, quality, and innovation, must rely on advertising and market research to connect with customers. This increases the cost of their products and forces them to work with higher margins.

With this context as a starting point, more than 20 students from various UPF-BSM programs participated in this third edition of the Challenge. Their objective was to analyze, in workgroups, the business models of both types of brands to identify opportunities to compete in this scenario.

Led by Professor Josep-Francesc Valls, director of the UPF-BSM Retail Chair, and Professor Carolina Luis Bassa, director of the Master's in Marketing, this activity also featured the participation of Mercadona, Nestlé, Casa Ametller, and Violife, who provided their insights into the proposals made by the students.