Sustainability, product innovation can build stronger brands
Innovation is a key aspect of product design, particularly in a competitive marketplace. Concerns about sustainability, social media friendliness and price plague FMCG and retail product manufacturers; add to that mix the challenges posed by startups and upstarts clamouring for market share.
But, those who have managed to succeed have done so on a grand scale at this year’s Product of the Year Awards. Announced in late January, the awards recognised the UK’s most innovative products as determined by a panel of judges and a survey of 10,000 consumers. By highlighting innovation – in health, wellbeing, sustainability or ease of use – companies can build stronger brands. A win in the awards can lead to a sales increase of between 10-15%.
Last year, Kantar determined that health and wellbeing would be a key theme in the retail sector going forward. That was reaffirmed by the Product of the Year winners, many of which were geared toward healthy lifestyles and free from food alternatives. Similarly, environmentally friendly options abounded. 2020 is set to be an important year for corporate sustainability objectives and global environmental policy. Manufacturers may be able to gain an advantage by introducing environmentally friendly elements into their product ranges.
Cheeky Panda, a relatively new, independent brand and B Corp is positioning itself as a sustainable alternative to common household goods like baby wipes and loo roll. Its biodegradable bamboo wipes took home the Product of the Year prize in the wipes category, making a winners list alongside the world’s biggest FMCG corporations. “As the first B Corp to win Product of the Year, it’s wonderful to see that innovative, sustainable brands like ourselves can compete and beat the more established brands in the hearts and minds of the consumers,” Cheeky Panda co-founder Chris Forbes says.
The winners are:
Bladder weakness: Always Discreet Liners to Go, Procter & Gamble
Baby & toddler meals: Cow & Gate First Spoons Carrot, Danone Specialised Nutrition
Baby cereal: Cow & Gate Banana Wholegrain Porridge with Buckwheat, Danone Specialised Nutrition
Cakes & biscuits: Cadbury Dairy Milk Slices, Premier Foods
Cat food: Whiskas Pure Delight, Mars Petcare Ltd
Cereal: W.K.Kellogg Plant Protein, Kellogg’s
Coffee: NESCAFÉ Azera Coffee Bags, Nestlé UK
Coffee pods: Costa Coffee Signature Blend Lungo Nespresso® Pod, All About Food Ltd
Convenience food: Heinz Creationz, Kraft Heinz
Dairy: Lurpak Butterbox, Arla Foods
Dairy alternatives: NESCAFÉ Gold Dairy Alternative Lattes, Nestlé UK
Dog food: Harringtons Just 6, Inspired Pet Nutrition
E-cigarette: Vype ePod, British American Tobacco
Feminine care: Always Ultra InstantDry, Procter & Gamble
Flavouring & seasoning: Paxo Bake in a Tray Stuffing, Premier Foods
Food kit: Sharwood's Katsu Curry Wrap Kits, Premier Foods
Formula powder: Cow & Gate Growing Up Milk Powder, Danone Specialised Nutrition
Formula RTD: Aptamil Follow-On Milk Advanced Liquid with Pronutra, Danone Specialised Nutrition
General cleaning: Cif ecorefill range, Unilever
General household: Astonish Oven & Grill Cleaner & Sponge, Astonish
Health & beauty: Bio-Oil Dry Skin Gel, Omega Pharma
Health nutrition: Optimum Rocky Road Protein Bar, Glanbia Performance Nutrition
Healthy drinks: Honest Classic & Pink Lemonade, Coca-Cola
Household paper: Plenty Hand Towels, Essity Hygiene Products UK Ltd
Hybrid mattress: Simba Hybrid® Mattress, Simba Sleep
Indulgent treat: M&M's Bars, Mars Wrigley
Kids food: White Choc Coco Pops, Kellogg's
Laundry additives: Vanish Gold Stain Oxi Action Removal Gel, Reckitt Benckiser
Laundry detergent: Surf Coconut Bliss Liquid Detergent, Unilever
Mattress: Casper Essential Mattress, Casper
Meat free: Richmond Meat-Free Sausages, Kerry Foods
Men's razor: Gillette SkinGuard Sensitive Razor, Procter & Gamble
Sauce: Loyd Grossman No Added Sugar Bolognese, Premier Foods
Snack pot: Loyd Grossman Pasta Italia Pots Range, Premier Foods
Snacks: Mr Kipling Reduced Sugar Slices, Premier Foods
Sparkling wine: O'jos Spritz, Concha y Toro
Teeth whitening kits & strips: Wisdom Intense White Teeth Whitening Strips, Wisdom Toothbrush Ltd
Toilet tissue: Cushelle Ultra Quilted, Essity Hygiene Products UK Ltd
Toothpaste: Oral-B Gumline Purify Toothpaste, Procter & Gamble
Water: Aquarius Lemon & Aquarius Lime, Coca-Cola
Whitening toothpaste: Oral-B 3D White Luxe Blast Toothpaste, Procter & Gamble
Wipes: Cheeky Panda Wipes, The Cheeky Panda
Women's razor: Venus Extra Smooth Sensitive, Procter & Gamble
Zero – no sugar drink: Diet Coke Twisted Strawberry and Exotic Mango, Coca-Cola.
