Brand X set to make its mark in 2009

USA Today's Ad Tracks report that store brand products are poised to make 2009 "a tough year for big brand-name consumer product makers, whose pricey ad budgets make up part of their labels' higher cost. Here are some unsettling stats:

• 72% of U.S. consumers say private-label brands are a "good alternative" to name brands


• Private-label quality was called "as good as" name brands by 62%


• For the 52 weeks ended Sept. 27, private-label goods already were up 10.2% from the previous year, for total U.S. sales of $81 billion