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SHOPPERS EMBRACE PLANT-BASED TREND More than 9,000 Australian shoppers have had their say and cast votes for their favourite supermarket products in the Product of the Year Awards 2021. PRODUCT OF THE YEAR BTy Product of the Year Australia Director Sarah Connelly. he world’s largest consumer based awards program is now in its 12th year in Australia, recognising product innovation and serving as a shortcut for shoppers, saving them time and money. This year, shoppers have heavily given their nod to healthier, plant-based products, with eight out of 29 winners sitting among the ‘vegetarian/vegan’ and ‘health food’ categories. With a range of meat-free, vegan or natural health food alternatives selected as winners this year, it’s clear that as we head into 2021, many shoppers will be highly conscious of their diets, and will seek more plant- based products and a healthier lifestyle. This sentiment is also backed by recent Roy Morgan research indicating that nearly 2.5 million Australians have either completely moved to a vegetarian diet or are close to doing so (‘Rise in vegetarianism not halting the march of obesity 2019’). Additionally, industry experts project that the meat-free sector will exceed $25 billion by 2030 (‘A piece of the $25 billion pie 2019’). These findings have been echoed by the Product of the Year Awards consumer research undertaken by Nielsen. It found that during the height, so far, of the Covid-19 pandemic in Australia, consumers “became more risk averse and have been seeking products and services that deliver value, quality and peace of mind”. With the pandemic also causing major disruptions to usual shopping habits, consumer numbers trying new products and brands surged, with 64 per cent of those surveyed buying something they were previously unfamiliar with (Product of the Year Australia 2021 ‘Diagnostic Report 2021’). This is the first time in our Product of the Year Awards history that we’ve had this many meat-alternative and vegan products participate and win an award, especially from brands new to these categories, such as, surprisingly, 7-Eleven and v2foods. This year, we’re also seeing our first ever ‘Alcohol-free alternatives’ category, with Lyre’s taking out the top spot for its non-alcohol spirits range. Covid-19 has impacted all areas of our lives, with shopping experiences taking a massive hit in the early stages of the pandemic, but we’ve been impressed to see the way brands have adapted and expanded their offerings to give consumers more options across a wide range of categories to suit all tastes and lifestyles. Outside of these categories, Product of the Year is thrilled to welcome back some incredible brands into this year’s awards program, including Dilmah tea, General Mills, Gillette and Nescafe. TO PAGE 28 NOV, 2020 RETAIL WORLD 27