Walmart Updates Great Value Packaging for Better Clarity

Walmart is revamping the packaging for its Great Value Store brand to make it easier for customers to see details like whether a bag of spicy chips is gluten-free or how much protein is in chicken nuggets.

As Walmart’s largest private label food brand, Great Value is also among the biggest food labels in the U.S.

This redesign will impact around 10,000 products and aims to shift consumer perceptions, showcasing store brands as equals to national labels, rather than inferior options.

Some notable updates include enhanced food visuals; for instance, the new Great Value Lasagna packaging features a plate with the dish presented on a checkered tablecloth, complete with basil leaves, rather than just a bland white image. Executives at Walmart believe this will attract more shoppers.

This marks the first major overhaul of the 33-year-old brand in over a decade, with the new packaging set to hit shelves next month, according to Scott Morris, senior vice president of Walmart’s U.S. private label division. He pointed out that the redesign won’t affect the actual products.

With economic pressures pushing consumers towards more affordable store brands, the timing seems fitting. According to market research, private labels made up 23.9% of the food and beverage market last year, a slight rise from 23.7% the year before. Meanwhile, the share of well-known national brands decreased from 76.3% to 76.1% in that same timeframe.

Walmart emphasized that its private label brands represent about a quarter of U.S. merchandise sales, although specific sales figures for Great Value weren’t disclosed.

As customers become more selective about food ingredients—demanding options that are gluten-free or high in protein—Walmart is adjusting. This is also in line with how people shop today, particularly those fulfilling online orders who often need to make quick decisions.

“We provide great products at affordable prices, but customers often experience a delay when choosing these products,” said Dave Hartman, Walmart’s vice president of creative design. “That was a key reason for the redesign.”

Walmart isn’t alone in this shift; other food brands are also updating their packaging. For example, PepsiCo announced earlier this month its plans to revamp Tostitos packaging to highlight the absence of artificial colors and preservatives.

Hartman mentioned that the nutritional information has been moved to the top right corner of the packaging for better visibility. The new design for Great Value Chicken Nuggets clearly indicates that each serving contains 11 grams of protein, along with a more appealing image on the packaging. Previously, this information was missing, which likely made it harder for customers to make informed choices.

This packaging redesign is part of Walmart’s broader investment in its store label brands, following last fall’s announcement to eliminate synthetic dyes from its food products.