Category captain

A supplier that a retailer chooses to advise on a whole category, including competitors' products: range, placement, promotions and sometimes prices (Mason Hayes & Curran, 2025).

Why it matters

It gives a brand influence and insight, but it comes with competition-law risk. In 2025 the Belgian competition authority fined three makers of over-the-counter medicines more than €11 million for using category management to favour their own products (Mason Hayes & Curran, 21 May 2025).