ShopSmart magazine, a production of Consumer Reports, reports in its June issue that shoppers can save 40 percent on beauty products with private label items rather than national brands.

When jockeying for competitive advantage in any industry, the ability to mine valuable information—and act quickly and judiciously with that knowledge—often factors directly into the bottom line while building your reputation.

A majority of the retailers followed by Chicago-based market research firm Market Track showed increases in private label promotions from a year ago, the company said in a report done exclusively for PLBuyer’s eReport.

Drugstore retailers have come a long way. Today's drugstore is a total shopping destination that includes an array of private label products from premium food and beauty care to environmentally friendly merchandise and pharmacy services backed by OTC products.

Healthcare is, and should be, one of the nation’s top issues. In 2007, illness or medical bills contributed to 62.1 percent of all bankruptcies in 2007, according to the American Journal of Medicine.

While some of us saw the biting cold weather begin in 2013, the first month of the New Year also ushered in something else. Mass merchandiser Walmart officially got on board with celebrity collaborations.

After two weeks of pushing private label promotions higher, CVS took its foot off the gas pedal last week, according to data provided exclusively for PLBuyer’s eReport by Chicago-based market research firm Market Track.

CVS Caremark reported fourth-quarter earnings Wednesday and said its private label share of front-store sales rose to end the year.

For the second consecutive week, CVS has dramatically increased its private label promotions from a year ago, according to research done exclusively for PLBuyer’s eReport by Chicago-based market research firm Market Track.

Eight of the 14 retailers followed by Chicago-based research firm Market Track exclusively for PLBuyer’s eReport showed fewer private label promotions last week than a year ago.