Product of the Year is the world’s largest consumer-voted award for product innovation. Established 25 years ago in France, Product of the Year currently operates in 28 countries with the same purpose: To guide consumers to the best products in their market and reward manufacturers for quality and innovation.

In South Africa, the Product of the Year seal is backed by the votes of 5 000 consumers, serving as a shortcut for shoppers in the supermarket, saving them time and money.

Product of the Year accepts entries every year from consumer-packaged goods that demonstrate innovation. Entered products are then placed into specific categories such as food, beverages, personal care and household care, with a product then being chosen as a winner in its category through a nationally representative online study conducted by A.C. Nielsen.

Very often the products launched in South Africa are not as innovative as those found on the shelves in developed markets. Product of the Year provides consumers with an ideal vehicle to encourage manufacturers to bring out their best products in this country and to tailor their product releases to better suit local consumers.

One of the key benefits of Product of the Year is that consumers now have a mark of excellence that reduces the “clutter” on supermarket shelves, helping consumers to focus on good products that have been recognised by their peers as best of breed. The Product of the Year logo tells consumers that this is a good product, not because we say so, but because, in an independent survey of over 5 000 households, consumers chose that product as the best in its category.