The Product of the Year winners for 2023 have been announced, revealing Aussies are opting for low-cost brands as many continue to feel the pinch of rising cost of living.
Over 5000 Australian shoppers have had their say and cast votes for their favourite supermarket and everyday products, in the annual Product of the Year Awards (POY) for 2023.
Now in its 14th year, the world’s largest consumer-based awards program recognises product innovation, and serves as a shortcut for shoppers, saving them time and money when finding the right products. The POY logo is recognised across Australia, with nearly one in two shoppers likely to purchase a new product if it had won a POY award (Product of the Year Australia 2022 – Diagnostic Report 2023, NielsenIQ).
This year, POY was thrilled to welcome beloved household brands back into the winner’s pool, including Birds Eye, Colgate, Lyre’s and Moccona. In addition, they are very excited to welcome first-time winners including Rokeby Farms’ environmentally friendly ‘ReMilk,’ Roll’d Vietnamese Sauces, and The Comfort Mattress from The Emma Sleep Company.
The big winners were supermarkets retailers, with over a third of POY category awards for 2023 taken out by private label products. Coles claimed 11 award wins while Woolworths took home five of the 33 winning product gongs.
Shoppers favour value
It’s no secret that inflation rates are having an impact on Australian households, with 72% of Aussies noticing a considerable price increase on their usual grocery shops (Product of the Year Australia 2022 – Diagnostic Report 2023, NielsenIQ). As the inflation rates sits at around 6.1%, Aussies are on the hunt for ways to cut back and save costs. This is having a trickle-down effect into the way they shop, with many switching to lower-cost items and cheaper alternatives.
NielsenIQ research conducted for Product of the Year found that 84% of shoppers are employing cost-saving techniques with their weekly shop, with 50% admitting they have had to switch to low cost or home brand options in order to save money; 42% claiming they have to switch to more affordable fresh food/cuts of meat, and 37% just generally opting to buy less than they usually do.
The average Australian household spends around $200 per week on groceries and price/affordability is the key decision factor for over 86% of Australians when deciding to buy a new brand or product.
Product of the Year Director Sarah Connelly says the rising cost of living has changed the FMCG landscape, with affordability now the most important consideration for Aussies making their weekly grocery trip.
“Typically, during a recession, you will see many people cut back on holidays and indulgent expenses like eating out, but interestingly, the data indicates something else is happening entirely,” she says. “Only a third of Aussies reported that they cut back on splurge-like expenses such as dinners and food delivery, instead opting to switch to cheaper brands, buy less groceries or reject their favourite brands altogether.
“After extended Covid-19 lockdowns, you can tell that people are much more willing to sacrifice their household goods if it means getting the opportunity to go out, socialise and enjoy all the things they’ve missed on in recent years.”
Other trends and findings
The POY winner’s trends are also showing that health and wellbeing remains at the forefront of minds post Covid-19, with 10 of the 33 winners sitting within the health, pharmacy and cleanliness categories including products from Hydralyte, Voltaren, BioSlim and Inner Health.
The NielsenIQ research also uncovered that the post-pandemic trend is in favour of supporting local, with 32% of shoppers preferring to go to retailers that support Australian brands.
Shoppers also gave Woolworths the nod as the leading retailer across a range of criteria including ‘biggest range of healthy and organic products’ (41%), ‘best range of fresh products’ (40%), ‘cleanliness’ (39%), and ‘provides the best shopping experience’ (38%).
The winners
- Air Care/Fragrance: Glade Aromatherapy Cool Mist Diffuser, SC Johnson
- At Home Teeth Whitening: Colgate Optic White Pro Series LED Teeth Whitening Kit, Colgate-Palmolive
- Coffee: Moccona Mochas Created with Cadbury, JDE
- Environmentally Friendly Household Products: Multix Greener Plant Based Cling Wrap, McPherson’s Consumer Products
- Entertaining Snacks: Hans Grazing Platters (Assorted), Primo Foods
- Eye Health: Murine Red Eyes, Care Pharmaceuticals
- Health and Wellbeing: Hydralyte Hot Hydration Drink, Care Pharmaceuticals
- Kids Vitamins/Supplements: Inner Health Plus Kids Daily Defence, Metagenics
- Mattress (over $1500): Emma Diamond Hybrid Mattress, Emma the Sleep Company
- Mattress (under $1500): Emma Comfort Mattress, Emma the Sleep Company
- Milk: Rokeby Farms ReMilk, Made
- Non-Alcoholic Spirits: Lyre’s Pink London Spirit, Lyre’s Spirit Co
- OTC Medicine: Voltaren Osteo Gel 12 Hourly, GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare trading as Haleon
- Plant-based Meal Alternatives: Birds Eye Plant Based Greek Lamb Style Strips, Simplot Australia
- Ready to Eat/On the Go Food: Hans Lunch Plates Mild Hungarian Salami, Primo Foods
- Sauces & Dressings: Roll’d Vietnamese Condiments Range, Roll’d Vietnamese
- Weight and Performance Management: BioSlim VLCD, Arrotex Pharmaceuticals
- Baby Care: CUB Biodegradable Baby Wipes Fragrance Free, Coles Supermarkets
- Fresh Meat: Coles Finest Certified Carbon Neutral Beef Scotch Fillet Steak, Coles Supermarkets
- Frozen Chips: Coles Sweet Potato Chips, Coles Supermarkets
- Healthy Snacks/Lunchbox: Coles 90 Calorie Fibre Bakes Choc Brownie, Coles Supermarkets
- Ice Cream: Coles Salted Caramel Vienna Sticks, Coles Supermarkets
- Men’s Skin Care: KOi for Men Hydrating Aloe & Patchouli Face Moisturiser, Coles Supermarkets
- Oats: Coles Rolled Oats Value Pack, Coles Supermarkets
- Pantry Staples: Coles Australian Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Coles Supermarkets
- Smallgoods: Coles Free Range Pan Sized Middle Bacon, Coles Supermarkets
- Soups (Convenience): Coles Perform Chicken, Kale & Quinoa Soup, Coles Supermarkets
- Soups (Pantry): Flavour Creations Homestyle 8 Veg & Chicken Soup, Coles Supermarkets
- Bread: Woolworths 35hr White Sourdough Loaf, Woolworths
- Cakes/Cupcakes: Woolworths Vanilla Cake with Lotus Biscoff, Woolworths
- Convenience Meals: Woolworths COOK Bone In Chicken Portions with Oregano & Lemon, Woolworths
- Household Cleaning: Strike Pro Multipurpose Cleaner Apple & Cedarwood, Woolworths
- Savoury Snacking: Woolworths Truffle Arancini, Woolworths