Planet Retail U.S. Research Director Sandy Skrovan told a webinar audience Wednesday that value retailers should no longer be considered part of an alternative channel, but as mainstream players.

 Drugstore retailers should be wary of the discounts they offer on over-the-counter pharmaceuticals in their private label products, according to a new survey conducted exclusively for PLBuyer by Consumer Science. 

New research from Symphony Consulting, a business unit of Chicago-based SymphonyIRI Group, shows that private label sales gained in the first four weeks of 2013 from the last four weeks of 2012 after the increased payroll tax kicked in Jan. 1.

A pair of reports issued Wednesday show the strength of digital and mobile couponing in retail channels in 2012, and expected growth in 2013.

Harris Teeter Supermarkets, Inc. has reported that fiscal 2012 sales rose 5.8 percent to $4.54 billion, while fourth quarter sales climbed 3.7 percent to $1.14 billion.

The latest Times and Trends report from SymphonyIRI Group, titled “Reversal of Fortune: National Brands Pick Up Gains On Private Label,” shows that national brands have gained share on private label in 40 of the 100 largest consumer packaged goods category in the past two years.