Private label: Meaning, Sources and Supplier Questions

Short answer: A private label product is made by one company and sold under the brand of another company, usually a retailer. The brand owner sets the specification and handles selling, while an outside manufacturer produces the goods.

What two sources say about Private label

Source page	Publisher	What the page says
Private label	Wikipedia	Describes a private label as a brand owned by the selling company while another firm makes the goods. Notes it is usually made exclusively for one client who sets the specification.
What Is a Private Label? How Private Labels Work (2026)	Shopify	Explains that an outside manufacturer makes the product to the retailer's specifications and the retailer sells it under its own brand. Says the retailer can customise things like materials and packaging and controls pricing and marketing.

Key points

The brand belongs to the seller, but a different company manufactures the product. [1, 2]
The product is usually sold only through the company that owns the brand. [1, 2]
The brand owner supplies or sets the specification, such as materials, packaging and labelling. [1, 2]
The manufacturer often stays unnamed to the public because contracts may include non-disclosure terms. [1]
The brand owner sets its own prices and controls its own marketing. [2]
Such products are also called store brands or house brands. [1, 2]

Private label compared with White label

Aspect	Private label	White label	Source
Who sets the specification	The brand owner sets it, for its own use.	The manufacturer sets it.	[1]
Exclusivity	Made for one client and sold only under that client's brand.	The same item can be sold to several clients, each adding its own brand.	[1, 2]
Customisation	The client can customise ingredients, materials, packaging and labelling.	Changes are generally limited to branding and packaging.	[2]

Where sources differ

Some sources use private label and white label as near-synonyms. Wikipedia and Shopify both separate them by exclusivity and who sets the specification.

Questions to ask a supplier about Private label

[ ] Will the product be made only for us, or can you sell the same item to others?
[ ] Who approves and owns the specification?
[ ] Will the maker's name appear anywhere on the product or pack?
[ ] Can we customise materials, packaging and labelling?
[ ] What does the contract say about confidentiality?

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Sources: [1] Wikipedia, fetched 2026-11-12; [2] Shopify, fetched 2026-11-12. As of 2026-11-12. General information, not legal, customs or tax advice. Wording is paraphrased from the pages linked; your written quote and contract govern.