Walmart Redesigns Great Value Brand Packaging
Walmart announced on Wednesday a comprehensive redesign of the packaging for its Great Value private label brand. The update, the first full redesign for the 33-year-old brand in over a decade, will affect approximately 10,000 products. The new packaging will begin appearing on store shelves next month, and company executives stated the changes do not include modifications to the products themselves.
Announcement Details
- The announcement was made on Wednesday.
- This is the first full packaging update for the Great Value brand in over 10 years.
- Approximately 10,000 different Great Value products will receive new packaging.
- Updated packaging is scheduled to start appearing on store shelves next month.
- Executives, including Scott Morris, senior vice president of Walmart’s U.S. private brands division, confirmed the redesign does not involve changes to the products themselves.
Key Packaging Changes
The redesign focuses on improving visual appeal and standardizing the placement of key information.
Enhanced Visuals
Packaging will feature updated food photography. For example, new Great Value lasagna packaging shows the meal on a plate with a garnish against a red checkered tablecloth, replacing previous packaging that displayed the product against a plain white background.
Standardized Information
Nutritional information, such as calorie count and macronutrients, will be relocated to a consistent location in the upper right-hand corner of the packaging. Previously, this information did not have a standardized placement.
Prominent Product Claims
Key product attributes, such as gluten-free status or protein content per serving, will be more prominently displayed. For instance, the redesigned Great Value Chicken Nuggets package displays "11g protein per serving" in the upper right corner.
Company Rationale and Statements
Walmart executives provided context for the redesign, citing customer perception and shopping efficiency.
"We're offering this great product at a very affordable price, but there was always this kind of lagging feeling that a customer was buying this product that felt like they had to compromise."
— Dave Hartman, vice president of creative design for Walmart
He identified addressing this perception as a key impetus for the redesign.
Executives stated the redesign aims to help customers quickly identify key ingredient information while shopping. The company also noted that the clearer packaging aids gig workers who assemble online orders by allowing them to identify products and their attributes more efficiently.
According to statements from Walmart executives, the redesign reflects a shift in how some shoppers view store brands, seeing them more as equivalents to national labels.
Market Context and Brand Data
- Great Value is Walmart's largest private label food brand and is described as one of the largest food and consumer packaged goods labels in the United States.
- Walmart stated that overall store label brands account for approximately one-quarter of Walmart U.S. merchandise sales. The company did not provide specific sales figures for the Great Value brand.
- According to data from market research firm Circana, private brands accounted for 23.9% of unit market share in the food and beverage category last year, a slight increase from 23.7% the previous year.
- National name brands accounted for 76.1% of unit market share last year, according to Circana.
Related Corporate Initiatives
- The packaging redesign is part of broader investments in Walmart's store label brands. Last fall, the company announced a goal to remove synthetic dyes from its food private brands.
- Other major food companies are also undertaking packaging updates. For example, PepsiCo announced a refreshed package design for its Tostitos brand earlier this month to highlight claims such as no artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives.