The winners of Product of the Year 2026 – as decided by 8,000 UK consumers in the annual survey of product innovation that spotlights the A-list of FMCG and beyond – were unveiled during a glamorous ceremony in London’s Quaglino’s restaurant in St James's, hosted by broadcaster and writer Claudia Winkleman.
From the category-defining to the everyday essentials that consumers rely on, and spanning food and drink, home, personal care, health and lifestyle categories, the 2026 line-up reflects evolving shopper priorities, from convenience and performance to wellbeing, indulgence and smarter living.
“Each product represents the very cutting edge of product innovation in this country, voted for by the people who matter most – the consumers!” said Helga Slater, MD Product of the Year. “Recognition is vital and we’re proud to be able to do just that. Watch out for one of the UK FMCG’s most recognisable red logos on packaging in supermarkets, online and even on billboards. These products are the cream of the crop.”
Global flavours to savour
Food innovation remained firmly in the spotlight this year, with products that balanced indulgence, quality and convenience.
Much-loved American import Cheez-It Snap’d is a thin and crispy baked snack delivering bold cheesy flavour with a satisfying crunch, while over in the freezer section, Goodfella’s New York Style Pizza, was triumphant, with a product inspired by authentic pizzeria-style bases and generous toppings. Mama-mia! Fish and chips are an age-old British classic. Two products have pushed the boat out here. Birds Eye Captain’s Discoveries bring global flavours to a traditional dish and Weston Fries Range are something to be savoured. These chips come in classic, skin-on, shaped and flavoured varieties. A well-deserved win for tasty treats!
Breakfast is made much more fun for kids with Kellogg's Bluey Breakfast Cereal winning a seat at the Product of the Year table, while fellow kids snack winner, Onken KiddOs Range, uses all-natural ingredients and is fortified with Vitamin D for optimal health points.
In world food especially, rice lovers will appreciate Daawat Extra Long Basmati Rice from LT Foods winning the "Rice" category, with its premium extra-long grain product. World flavours shone through with Al’Fez Squeezy Sauces (available in Lebanese Style Garlic and Turkish Style Tahini varieties), Nando’s Churrasco Perinaise bringing afro-Portuguese flavours straight from the fridge and Patak’s Seasoning Mix Range from AB World Foods is praised for bringing restaurant-style flavour into home cooking with ease. Re-creating artisanal Japanese delicacy is now more accessible than ever with Farmfoods Takeaway Crispy Chicken Gyoza also earning a trophy. Nutty Kitchen Supermince Range rounds up the food wins with a wonderful plant-based take on mince.
Image: Product of the Year
Drinks shake it up
Healthy, nutritious and ready-to-drink beverages continued to gain momentum. Arla stole the show with no less than five wins across multiple categories, including Protein Milkshake Range, which stood out for delivering high protein nutrition with great taste, appealing to active consumers seeking convenient nourishment. The highly refreshing and thirst-quenching, Highland Spring Apple & Blackcurrant Flavoured Water, won within the "Drinks" category.
Coffee breaks are something to look forward to, especially during the rainy winter months. L'OR BARISTA Absolu is like having a barista in your kitchen cupboard. Steaming hot, iced or however you like it, coffee lovers can take their pick with this dream machine.
Top of the ciders, Inch's Cloudy Apple Cider, won for its lightly sparkling, natural drink that was the apple of the eye of the voting public. Bacardí & Coca-Cola was also recognised for successfully bringing a bar-quality classic into a ready-to-drink format, combining two iconic brands into one convenient serve. Cheers to the champs!
Pet products take a bow-wow
All power to the pooches and pussycats. Petcare winners this year included GOURMET REVELATIONS Fine Cuts in Gelée from Nestlé Purina Petcare won over cat owners with its elegant presentation and refined flavours, offering an elevated mealtime experience for feline companions. Chunky, chewy Wagg Chews fetched a win in the ‘Dog Treats’ category. Five paws out of five for ingenuity.
Bathroom beauties
From dazzling smiles to a clean shave, this year’s winners represent the cutting edge of healthy, beauty and hygiene.
In oral care, Wisdom’s Intense White Professional LED Teeth Whitening Kit was recognised for delivering professional-level whitening results at home, while hair care innovation also featured prominently among this year’s winners with Clariol Colour Strong Hair Colour Range. Not forgetting the lips. Honeybalm Lip Care Try-Out Box won with this natural ingredient treatment for daily beauty regimens.
Meanwhile, grooming innovation was acknowledged with the Wilkinson Sword Complete Mini Travel Razor from Edgewell, offering a compact yet high-performance solution designed specifically for life on the go. Wilkinson Sword Complete Mini Travel Razor, won for the ladies with this handy design that is perfect for holidays and weekends away.
Essity UK Ltd enjoyed multiple wins across intimate and incontinence care, with TENA Pants Protect+ Night Plus and TENA Discreet Ultra Mini & Ultra Normal praised for their enhanced protection and discretion, and Bodyform Ultimate recognised for its advanced comfort and absorbency. In baby care, Huggies Extra Care Sensitive Plastic Free Baby Wipes from Kimberly-Clark resonated with parents seeking gentler, more sustainable options without sacrificing performance and most importantly – this is free of plastics for youngsters.
Winter essential, Broncho 5 in 1 Cough Syrup, is an industry-first adult syrup that helps soothe five different types of coughs. Miracle makers some might say! ANDYSMANCLUB XL "Man-Sized" Facial Tissues is a useful double act for those suffering the dreaded common cold or flus, but they’re also there for life’s tougher moments too.
All Product of the Year 2026 winners are now entitled to feature the unmistakeable red logo on packaging and marketing communications – a symbol trusted by shoppers to highlight innovation that truly stands out.
Here is the full list of 2026 Product of the Year winners across 43 categories to help your store sales with the updated, famous red sticker on the pack:
Alarm System: Verisure New Alarm System with LockGuard, Verisure
Cat Food: Gourmet Revelations Fine Cuts in Gelée, Nestlé Purina Petcare
Cheesy Crisps and Snacks: Cheez-It Snap'd, Mars
Chips: Lamb Weston Fries Range, Lamb Weston
Cider: Inch's Cloudy Apple Cider, Heineken
Cough Syrup: Broncho 5 in 1 Cough Syrup, Perrigo
Dog Treats: Wagg Chews, Inspired Pet Nutrition
Drinks: Highland Spring Apple & Blackcurrant Flavoured Water, Highland Spring
Follow-on Milk: SMA® Follow-On Milk, Nestlé
Frozen Food: Birds Eye Captain's Discoveries Range, Birds Eye
Frozen Gyoza: Farmfoods Takeaway Crispy Chicken Gyoza, Farmfoods
Gut Health Milk: Arla Cultura Raspberry Gut Health Milk Drink, Arla Foods UK
Gut Health Yogurt: Arla Cultura Blueberry Gut Health Yogurt, Arla Foods UK
Hair Care: Clairol Colour Strong Hair Colour Range, Wella
Heated Tobacco: IQOS ILUMA I, PMI
Household Cleaning: Bloo Anti-Clogging Toilet Blocks, Henkel
Household Paper: ANDYSMANCLUB XL 'Man-Sized' Softy Facial Tissues, Navigator Tissue UK
Kids Cereal: Kellogg's Bluey Breakfast Cereal, Kellogg’s
Kids Snacks: Onken KiddOs Range, Emmi UK Ltd
Kitchen Appliance: L'OR BARISTA Absolu, JDE Peet’s
Lactose Free Milk: Arla LactoFREE Whole Milk Drink 2L, Arla Foods UK
Lactose Free Yoghurt: Arla LactoFREE Natural Yogurt, Arla Foods UK
Laundry Stain Remover: Dr. Beckmann Power Brush Stain Remover, Acdoco
Lip Balm: Honeybalm Lip Care Try-Out Box, Honeybalm
Male Grooming: Wilkinson Sword Xtreme 3 Sensitive Men's Disposable Razor, Edgewell
Mattress: Simba Sleep Hybrid Pro Mattress, Simba Sleep Ltd
Mayonnaise: Nando’s Churrasco Perinaise, All About Food
Meat Free: Nutty Kitchen Supermince Range, Whitworth’s
Nicotine Pouch: Nordic Spirit Moist Range, JTI
Night-time Hygiene: TENA Pants Protect+ Night Plus, Essity UK Ltd
Period Care: Bodyform Ultimate, Essity UK Ltd
Pillow: Emma Original Hybrid Pillow, Emma Sleep
Pizza: Goodfella's New York Style Pizza, Birds Eye
Plug-In Air Freshener: Air Wick Advanced Electrical Plug-In, Vestacy
Premixed Spirits: Bacardí & Coca-Cola, The Coca-Cola Company
Protein Drinks: Arla Protein Milkshake Range, Arla Foods
Rice: Daawat Extra Long Basmati Rice, LT Foods
Sauce: Al'Fez Sauce Range, AB World Foods
Seasoning: Patak's Seasoning Mix Range, AB World Foods
Teeth Whitening Kit: Wisdom Intense White Professional LED Teeth Whitening System, Wisdom
Wipes: Huggies Extra Care Sensitive Plastic Free Baby Wipes, Kimberly-Clark
Womens Bladder Weakness: TENA Discreet Ultra Mini & Ultra Normal, Essity UK Ltd
Womens Razor: Wilkinson Sword Complete Mini Travel Razor, Edgewel
Image: Asian Media Group