Apr 28, 2008 12:00 PM, By ELLIOT ZWIEBACH

By: By ELLIOT ZWIEBACH

PLEASANTON, Calif. — Safeway here said last week that growth in corporate-brand sales is outpacing growth in national brands by a factor of 4 to 1 storewide and 6 to 1 in the center of the store — “the strongest evidence that consumers are trading down and looking for value,” Steve Burd, chairman, president and chief executive officer, said in a conference call to discuss first-quarter earnings.

The growth rates of national and corporate brands were about equal a year ago, he said. The shift began in the fourth quarter of last year and accelerated during the first quarter, which ended March 22.

This article is part of SN's Premium content and requires registration. If not already a member, subscribe to Supermarket News today! Your subscription includes:

• Full access to the website, including over a decade of archives.
• The print magazine, delivered weekly, plus the Refresh supplement every quarter.
• More in-depth coverage of the supermarket industry than any other source.
• Surveys and industry data.
• Insight and commentary from industry insiders.

Registered Users	Subscribe Now!
User Name: Password: Remember Me	SAVE with a print/online combo or online-only options.
Already a Print-Only Subscribers? Upgrade to access Supermarket News' premium online content. Call 866-834-1247 to include premium access as part of your subscription!