Now in its fourth year, the annual Product of the Year awards were held at the picturesque Opera Point Marquee recently, and food brands made up almost half of the winners list.
More than 11,600 Australian household shoppers were surveyed by global research giant Nielsen as part of the awards, which now comprise 34 categories including Bakery, Dips and Dressing, Beverages and Specialty Biscuits, as well as a range of non-food awards such as Dental Care, Dishwashing and Hair Care.
Sixteen of the 34 categories are food-based Product of the Year director Sarah Connelly said innovative and creative manufacturers are rewarded with consumer loyalty.
"With an increasingly competitive market, manufacturers have significantly upped their game as they battle to capture consumer’s imaginations. They are striving to get the best, eye-catching products into the market, which is great news for shoppers," she said.
"Consumers are attracted to creativity that is relevant to their needs and the results reveal they are not averse to paying a little extra for this. The foodie trend is also evident in this year’s winners, showing that people are still more than willing to indulge themselves."
Winning food brands include Macro Gourmet Dips, Birch & Waite, Cadbury, Streets and Berri (full list of winners below).
Price is king
The Product of the Year research also found that consumers are still watching their hip-pocket, with home-brand products becoming increasingly popular.
Seventy percent said they often compare prices of private labels with manufacturer goods and many (60 percent) believe supermarkets offer similar quality, with packaging deemed just as good as those of branded products.
Ninety-four percent of respondents said they have bought private label goods, with half being regular users.
Price and convenience are king for consumers, even if it means compromising their health, the research found. Almost three quarters of Australians (74 percent) would eat healthier and buy more premium quality fresh produce if they were less expensive, with 41 percent believing it is cheaper and easier to buy pre-packaged meals rather than cooking themselves.
"Australians are time-poor and are looking for ways to cut corners, which means consumers are more likely to favour products that help make things quick and easy," Connelly said. "More than half of those surveyed (53 percent) said they don't have time to cook a full meal from scratch so they buy something convenient, even if it’s not as healthy."
