The People Have Spoken: Product of the Year Award Winners Revealed

It's the little red and white logo that can take the guesswork out of finding some of the best tried and tested products in the country! Suffice to say, 5000 Aussie shoppers have spoken and the 2023 Product of the Year winners have been crowned.

Product of the Year

Now in its 14th year down under, the world’s largest consumer-based awards program asks 5000 local consumers to vote on their favourite supermarket products via leading research company, Nielsen. Prior to being submitted for the final vote, Product of the Year contenders undergo a rigorous testing process by an expert panel of judges, who test the products for quality, credibility, and innovation.

It's no surprise that the rising cost of living has contributed dramatically to lower-cost and cheaper alternatives scooping many of the awards this year, as Aussies continue to feel the pinch.  NielsenIQ research conducted for Product of the Year found that 84% of shoppers are employing cost-saving techniques with their weekly shop, with one in two shoppers (50%) admitting they have had to switch to low-cost or home brand options in order to save money; 42% claiming they have to switch to more affordable fresh food/cuts of meat, and 37% just generally opting to buy less than they usually do.

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The Landscape

"The rising cost of living has definitely changed the FMCG landscape, with affordability now the most important consideration for Aussies making their weekly grocery trip" says Product of the Year Director, Sarah Connelly. 

She continues, "Typically, during a recession, you will see many people cut back on holidays and indulgent expenses like eating out, but interestingly, the data indicates something else is happening entirely. Only a third of Aussies reported that they cut back on splurge-like expenses such as dinners and food delivery, instead opting to switch to cheaper brands, buy less groceries or reject their favourite brands altogether. After extended COVID-19 lockdowns, you can tell that people are much more willing to sacrifice their household goods if it means getting the opportunity to go out, socialise and enjoy all the things they’ve missed out on in recent years."

“In addition, the POY winner’s trends are also showing that health and wellbeing are still at the forefront of minds post-COVID-19, with 10 of the 33 winners sitting within the health, pharmacy and cleanliness categories including products from Hydralyte, Voltaren, BioSLIM and Inner Health."

The Winners

The research also revealed that post-pandemic trends favour supporting local, with a third (32%) of shoppers preferring to go to retailers that support Australian brands. Shoppers also gave Woolworths the nod as the leading retailer with the best selection of fresh, healthy, and organic products.

Some beloved household brands were welcomed back into the Product of the Year fold, including Birds Eye, Colgate, Lyre’s and Moccona. In addition, there are some all-new winners including Rokeby Farms’ environmentally friendly ‘ReMilk,’ Roll’d Vietnamese Sauces, and The Comfort Mattress from The Emma Sleep Company.

Our Picks

So what you really wanna know, our picks from the winning bunch? We've tried and tested some of these epic products (it's a tough job, but someone's gotta do it) and our champions are the Coles Frozen Sweet Potato Chips, Coles 90 Calorie Fibre Bakes Choc Brownies (seriously—drool), Woolworths COOK Bone In Chicken Portions with Oregano & Lemon 1.2kg (easiest midweek dinner you've ever met!), and the Woolworths 35hr White Sourdough Loaf because, well...bread.

All The Winners

• Glade Aromatherapy Cool Mist Diffuser
• Colgate Palmolive  Optic White Pro Series LED Teeth Whitening Kit
• CUB Biodegradable Fragrance-Free Baby Wipes 80pk
• Woolworths 35hr White Sourdough Loaf
• Woolworths Vanilla Cake with Lotus Biscoff
• Strike Pro Multipurpose Cleaner 750ml Apple & Cedarwood
• Woolworths COOK Bone In Chicken Portions with Oregano & Lemon
• Hans Grazing Platters
• Murine Red eyes
• Coles Frozen Sweet Potato Chips
• Coles Finest Certified Carbon Neutral Beef Scotch Fillet Steak
• Hydralite Hot Hydration Berry fusion & Hot Hydration Lemon Ginger
• Coles 90 Calorie Fibre Bakes Choc Brownie 5 Pack
• Multix® GreenerTM Plant Based Cling Wrap
• Coles Salted Caramel Vienna Sticks 5 pack
• Inner Health Plus Kids Daily Defence
• Emma - The Sleep Company, Emma Comfort Mattress
• KOi for Men Hydrating Aloe & Patchouli Face Moisturiser
• Rokeby Farms ReMilk
• Lyre's Pink London Spirit
• Coles Rolled Oats Value Pack 1.8kg
• Voltaren Osteo Gel 12 Hourly
• Coles Australian Extra Virgin Olive Oil 1L
• Birds Eye Plant-Based Greek Lamb Style Strips
• Emma - The Sleep Company, Emma Diamond Hybrid Mattress
• Hans Mild Hungarian Salami Lunch Plate
• Roll'd Vietnamese Sauces
• Woolworths Truffle Arancini
• Coles Free Range Pan Sized Middle Bacon
• Moccona Mochas Created with Cadbury
• Coles Flavour Creations Homestyle 8 Veg & Chicken Soup
• Coles Perform Chicken, Kale & Quinoa Soup
• BioSlim VLCD (very low-calorie diet)

Find out more at Product Of The Year.

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