This paper is a survey of the recent literature devoted to the economics of private labels. In the first section of this paper we provide some statistics about the development of private labels for different products in different countries. Using the results from econometric studies, we also analyse the empirical factors that favour the development of private labels. In the second section, we discuss the reasons retailers introduce private labels i.e. to increase their bargaining power, and to discriminate demand. In the third section we deal with the empirical consequences of the development of private labels on producers and retailers. In the fourth section we review questions that are less frequently discussed. Finally in section five we draw some conclusions about the impact of the development of PLs on welfare.