Product Of The Year turns 20!

‘Home’s where the heart is’ with skincare, ready meals and sleep lead trends in latest awards

Product of the Year has announced the UK’s most innovative new products, with the winners chosen by 8,000 UK consumers (the largest survey of product innovation in the UK).

DIY, skincare, sleep tech, confectionery and petcare, were just a handful of the 43 categories announced by Product of the Year at last night’s awards ceremony hosted at iconic London venue, Quaglino’s, by TV personality Tom Allen. Every year, the survey reveals the key trends that inspire shoppers, with winners ranging from major brands to independents, including P&G, Arla and Emma Sleep.

Now marking its 20th year, Product of the Year has gained a reputation for putting brands and products on the map by giving them the recognition they deserve. The Product of the Year logo has 81 per cent shopper recognition and can be spotted in all major supermarkets and convenience stores across the country. Commonly regarded as a seal of approval amid a sea of products on shop shelves, it’s a vote of confidence by consumers for consumers.

“This year, there’s been an incredible mix of new product development, creativity and ingenuity, that’s been truly impressive,” said Helga Slater, Product of the Year MD. “We’re very excited to reveal the ‘best in show’, which has been selected by over 8,000 consumers! Product of the Year is a celebration of what we consider to be the heroes of our everyday – the products that make a difference to our lives.”

Research was independently conducted in association with leading data and insights company, Kantar. Brands that win a Product of the Year trophy also enjoy the right to feature the iconic red logo – an instantly recognisable symbol of product excellence.

Home comforts, ‘feel-good’ culture lead food and drink brand winers

Sweets and chocolate took their share of wins with juicy Fruit-tella Curiosities, Cadbury Crunchie Celebration Cake and McVitie’s White Chocolate Digestive Biscuits, all taking the title within their categories.

Among the convenience brands, Ben’s Original One Pan Creations wowed consumers with a speedy range of rice dishes from around the world (just add meat/vegetables) and bean-based competitor, Heinz Beanz Bowlz won a trophy for these ingenious plant-based frozen ready meals. Convenience is at the heart of dishes like these, making mealtimes quicker and less hassle after a long day. And if you’re looking for a drink to go with it, a glass of Joy wine might do nicely. This vibrant range, a bold new brand from Concha Y Toro, is geared at a younger audience – and is Instagrammable to boot. Perennial favourite, Strongbow, has come in strong, winning with its Tropical Cider drink, that brings colour to even the dullest January day.

Beauty brands break through …

Hyaluronic acid, is the ‘magic’ ingredient that features in two winning products – NIVEA Hyaluron Moisture Plus Lip Balm and Soltan Once Age Defence Facial Suncare with Hyaluronic Acid SPF 50. Both provide moisturizing/hydrating qualities for a natural glow. Known for its skin brightening properties, vitamin C serum is another exciting ingredient making waves in skincare. Boots Vitamin C Pro Brightening Booster Serum is an exciting high street innovation product that gives designer brands a run for their money and won the approval of the voting public.

Best in show pet products

Among the pet winners, both dog and cat food products bagged awards. Butcher’s Nourishing Food for Dogs Healthy Heart Tins range puts health first, with these vet and nutritionist developed meals for dogs, that are a welcome new breed of pet-care innovation. And Whiskas Pouch Reset impressed the 8,000 voters with its new recipes that are like catnip to feline friends.

Full list of 2024 Product of the Year winners across 43 categories:

Alcohol, Strongbow Tropical Cider, Heineken

Bed, Emma Ottoman Bed, Emma Sleep GmbH

Bedding, Simba Hybrid Pillow, Simba Sleep

Biscuits, McVitie’s White Chocolate Digestives, pladis

Carpet Cleaner, Vanish Oxi Action Carpet Stain Remover Serum, Reckitt

Cat Food, Whiskas Pouch Reset, Mars Petcare Europe

Cereal, Coco Pops Chocos, Kellanova

Chewing Gum, Mentos Pure Fresh Gum Paperboard Bottle, Perfetti Van Melle

Convenience Food, Ben’s Original One Pan Creations range, Mars Food UK Limited

Cough & Immune Support, Zarbee’s Natural Cough and Immune Support Range, Kenvue

DIY & Home, 3M CLAW™ Plasterboard Picture Hangers, 3M

Dog Food, Butcher’s Nourishing Food for Dogs Healthy Heart Tins, Butcher’s Pet Care

Eco, Andrex® Summer Fresh Washlets, Kimberly-Clark

Filled Pasta, La Famiglia Rana Prawn, Burrata & Lemon Zest Mezzelune, Giovanni Rana UK

Formula Milk, Cow & Gate Follow-on Milk Value Pack, Danone UK & Ireland

General Household, Plenty Flexisheets Tubeless, Essity

Haircare, Clairol Nice’n Easy with new Revitashine Treatment, Wella Company UK

Health & Beauty, Hyaluron Moisture Plus Lip Balm, Beiersdorf UK Ltd

Heated Tobacco, Ploom X Advanced, Japan Tobacco International

Home Security, Ring Battery Video Doorbell Plus, Ring

Household Fragrance, Air Wick x Stacey Solomon – Morning Meadow Range, Reckitt

Iced Coffee, Starbucks® Chilled Classics Skinny Multiserve, Arla Foods

Incontinence, Always Discreet Boutique Pants, Procter & Gamble

Laundry Additives, Comfort Concentrated Fabric Conditioner Range, Unilever

Laundry Detergent, Surf Peony & Rose Concentrated Liquid Laundry Detergent, Unilever

2 in 1 Mattress, Slumberland Flip 2 in 1 Mattress, Bensons for Beds

Mattress, Emma NextGen Premium Mattress, Emma Sleep GmbH

Men’s Grooming, Gillette Labs Neon Night Razor, Procter & Gamble

Men’s Intimacy, Gillette Intimate Trimmer i3, Procter & Gamble

Multi Surface Cleaning, Dettol Protect 24 Spray and Wipes, Reckitt

Pasta Sauce, Dolmio Intensify Pasta Sauce Range, Mars Food & Nutrition UK

Period Care, Bodyform Cour-V Ultra Towels, Essity

Plant Based Milk, Oddlygood Barista Vanilla Flavour Oat Drink 1L, Oddlygood Global Ltd

Plant Based Food, Heinz Beanz Bowlz, Kraft Heinz

Sauce & Seasoning, Bisto Roast Seasoning, Premier Foods

Skincare, Boots Vitamin C Pro Brightening Booster Serum, Boots

Suncare, Soltan Once Age Defence Facial suncare with Hyaluronic Acid SPF 50, Boots

Sweet Treats, Cadbury Crunchie Celebration Cake, Premier Foods

Sweets, Fruit-tella Curiosities, Perfetti Van Melle

Toilet Care, Domestos Power Foam, Unilever

Toilet Tissue, Little Duck Supreme 3 Ply Quilted Toilet Tissue, Task Consumer Products Ltd

Wine, Joy Wine Range, Concha Y Toro UK Ltd

Yoghurt, Actimel Plus, Danone UK & Ireland