Globally, organised retailers create and market private label or store brands. Store brands are visible across product categories - grocery, packaged food, apparel and even homecare items. For the customer, store brands most often mean products of reasonable quality at lower prices, while for the retailer; private labels translate into better margins, greater clout with the manufacturers and the ability to fill value gaps in the consumers' requirements.

Industry sources feel that the private labels can be tailored to suit various regional tastes, and in the long run, these labels can themselves become major independent brands. In developed markets, these store brands pose a substantial threat to the established big brands. In India, while store brands are still at the infant stage, there is a tremendous growth opportunity as size of operations is becoming critical for volumes, customer patronage and marketing capabilities. The seminar would examine the threat of private labels to the established brands and its impact on both, the organised retailers and the big brands.

Issues that the seminar would endeavour to address include whether retailers need the 'big brands' to maintain footfalls and the consequences of taking on the 'big brands'. It will look at the challenges that the retailers face as well as the expected backlash. The seminar will also scrutinise the advantages that 'big brands' enjoy over private labels. The speakers include Shoppers Stop CEO B S Nagesh, Pantaloon CEO Kishore Biyani, Retailyatra.com CEO Parag Bhise