The past year presented previously unseen challenges for the consumer packaged goods (CPG) industry, and in the wake of the global pandemic, retailers had to pivot how they did business. Retail buyers turned to online sourcing to find the products consumers wanted and needed, which in turn sparked a digital transformation that has turned CPG on its axis. RangeMe released its annual end of year Retail Recap report featuring data for the CPG industry that directly informed retail buying decisions.

“When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, RangeMe became an even more important tool for retail buyers, as a place where they could continue discovering innovative products in emerging categories,” said Nicky Jackson, founder and CEO of RangeMe. “The platform has provided a wealth of data, and we’re excited to help our retail partners leverage that to find new items to add to their product lineups.”

RangeMe saw 32% growth with a total of 320,000+ brands and over 700,000+ products. RangeMe’s 2020 Retail Recap showcases data that supports trends across the industry.

Supplier Diversity: The global pandemic gripped the US in 2020, but the country was also embroiled in a social justice revolution that deeply impacted peoples’ lives. As a result, the RangeMe platform saw an uptick in searches for brands that were accredited with certifications such as Women-owned, Black-owned, Minority-owned, and more. Supplier diversity became a necessity for retailers in how they sourced products and the types of products they searched for.

Sustainability: The evolution to sustainable and certified products has been happening over the past decade and shows no sign of slowing down.

• General merchandise experienced a 52% growth
• Sustainability-marketed products grew 5.6 times faster than conventionally marketed products, which is 3.3 times faster than the CPG market in total

High-Growth Keywords: The top keywords and phrases related to beauty and wellness buyers were searching for on the RangeMe platform in 2020 were:

• Black owned
• Disinfectant
• Gluten-free
• Functional beverages
• Face masks
• Supplements
• Haircare

Health and Beauty Brand Growth:

• 80,000+ brands
• 160,000+ products
• 50% product growth
• 4% decrease in margin 2019 to 2020
• 11.4% increase in MSRP 2019 to 2020

Most Searched Certifications: This year saw health-based certifications take the lead, compared to 2019 where cosmetic-specific certifications like PETA Cruelty-Free, Vegan, or Leaping Bunny approved were most searched.

• USDA Organic
• Fair Trade Certified
• Non-GMO Project Certified
• Certified Gluten-Free
• Certified Vegan

Most Viewed COVID-19 Essentials:

• 360 Labs Hand Sanitizer
• Sani-Vend Hand Sanitizer
• MedNet Direct Hand Sanitizer
• The Flower Apothecary Quiet Mind
• Sugar and Kush Cotton Candy

Supplier Diversity Most Viewed Brands:

• All Good Products
• Da Bomb Bath Fizzers
• Voesh New York
• High End Beauty
• Urban Hydration

Sustainability Most Viewed Brands:

• Ethique
• Essential Oxygen
• Ducalm Skincare
• Essence of Argan
• Kefla

Top Trending Health and Beauty Brands:

• Goli Nutrition
• Cleanfinity Brands
• Green GOO by Sierra Sage