The annual consumer-voted Product of the Year Awards 2016 were presented at an awards ceremony in Sydney last night.
Research company Nielsen surveyed more than 14,000 consumers for the country’s largest independent study of household consumer innovation, which reviews new products against criteria such as trial performance, value for money and overall satisfaction.
The 46 winners represent the most exciting new products on the Australian market today.
Product of the Year Director Sarah Connelly said she was delighted with the range and overall quality of the innovations presented this year.
“There have been innovative improvements to household name brands like Dove and exciting new meal solutions to make our lives easier,” she said.
“Brands and private label products from the supermarket chains are really stepping up to meet consumers’ appetite for new products that are useful and relevant to them.”
Once again, retailers performed well in the awards, with ALDI coming away with 12 wins, Woolworths with six and Coles four.
Coles General Manager of Coles Brand Micheal Lovsin says the retailer works closely with suppliers to extensively test and develop great-tasting, quality products for the Coles Brand range that can be offered to customers at a great price.
“Winning Product of the Year is a great acknowledgement of the time and effort put into these products,” he said.
A spokesperson for ALDI Australia said: “We’re always looking for ways to innovate and offer more value to our shoppers.”
Ms Connelly says shoppers are certainly more open to trying ALDI’s winning products, emphasising the trend towards affordable, quality products.
“It’s all about value for money and shoppers won’t be swayed by cheap and inferior products – not for long, anyway – so the quality has to be there to make an impact and result in repeat purchases,” she said.
Ms Connelly says winning Product of the Year is a huge stamp of approval for shoppers.
“Shoppers can rest assured that these products have been voted for by people just like them and, whether they’re buying large household appliances, beauty products or everyday grocery items, that all the guesswork has already been done,” she said.
Product of the year 2016 winners
- Wound Care: Nexcare Blister Waterproof Strips, 3M Consumer Healthcare.
- Chocolate Blocks: Moser Roth Mousse Assortment 187.5g, ALDI Australia.
- Desserts/Pastries: Specially Selected Desserts in Glass 60g, ALDI Australia.
- Dishwashing Liquid: Green Action Dishwashing Liquid 600ml, ALDI Australia.
- Dishwashing Tablets: Logix Dishwashing Tablets 30-pack, ALDI Australia.
- Household Cleaning: Power Force Household Wipes 50-pack, ALDI Australia.
- Laundry Liquid: Trimat Advanced Laundry Liquid Sensitive 1lt, ALDI Australia.
- Laundry Softeners: Ancosoft Fabric Softener Concentrated 1lt – Soft Sensations, ALDI Australia.
- Pest Control: Atlas Enviroshield Fly Spray 350g, ALDI Australia.
- Pizza: Casa Barelli Italian Ristorante Flavoured Pizza Bases 2-pack, ALDI Australia.
- Sauces: Specially Selected Pasta Sauces 400g, ALDI Australia.
- Smallgoods: Berg Deli Ham off the Bone 175g, ALDI Australia.
- Snacks To Go: Deli Originals Snack ‘n’ Go 80g, ALDI Australia.
- Cooking Appliance: Breville Quick Touch Crisp Inverter Microwave, Breville.
- Liquor: Brown Brothers Grape Tree, Brown Brothers.
- Beverage: Buderim Ginger Ginger Beer & Pear, Buderim Group.
- Spreads: Macabella Choc’Macadamia Spread, Buderim Group.
- Stock/Gravy: Gravox Single Serve Gravy & Finishing Sauce, Cerebos Australia.
- Easy Entertaining – Meat: Coles Grill, Coles.
- Frozen/Ready to Heat – Fish: Coles Frozen Crumbed Fish, Coles.
- Meal Solution – Meat: Coles Made Easy Slow Cooked Ready to Pull Meats, Coles.
- Soup: Coles Brand Microwavable Soup Pouches, Coles.
- Skin Care: Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel, Johnson & Johnson Pacific.
- Healthy Living: Vitasoy Coconut Milk Unsweetened, Lion.
- Ready-to-eat Poultry: Luv-A-Duck Slow Cooked Duck For You Duck Legs, Luv-A-Duck.
- Baby Care: Mater Nappies, Mater Health Services.
- Frozen Sides: McCain Roasts, McCain Foods.
- Pet Food: Nature’s Gift Certified Organic Petfood – Single Serve, Nature’s Gift Australia.
- Coffee: Nescafe Blend 43 Smooth & Creamy, Nestlé.
- Pain Relief: Voltaren Osteo Gel 12 Hourly, Novartis.
- General Household: Platemate L and P Plates, Possibilities Management Group.
- OTC Medicine: Betadine Sore Throat Lozenges, Sanofi Consumer Healthcare.
- Entertaining/Snacking (gluten free): SunRice Brown Rice Chips, SunRice.
- Heat and Serve – Snacks/Sides: SunRice Street Snack, SunRice.
- Deodorant: Dove Original Antiperspirant Deodorant Aerosol, Unilever.
- Hair Care: Dove Hair Therapy Daily Moisture Shampoo and Conditioner, Unilever.
- Skin Cleanser: Dove Beauty Cream Bar, Unilever.
- Ice-Cream Single Serve: Fruttare Smoothie, Unilever.
- Ice-cream Tubs: Blue Ribbon Golden Gaytime Classic 1.25lt tub, Unilever.
- Moisturiser: Vaseline Intensive Care Spray Moisturiser, Unilever.
- Entertaining/Snacking: Woolworths Gold Savoury Biscuits, Woolworths.
- Cereal: Woolworths Reduced Sugar Cereal 300g, Woolworths.
- Dips: Macro Thai Style Carrot Dip 200g, Woolworths.
- Gluten Free Bakery: Free From Gluten Bread 550g, Woolworths.
- Heat and Serve – Fresh Vegetable Sides: Woolworths Gold Vintage Cheddar Cauliflower Cheese 595g, Woolworths.
- Meal Kits: Created with Jamie Lemon Bombay Chicken Meal Kit, Woolworths.
Full coverage of the award winners will appear in Convenience World issue 2, due out in April.