South African customers have spoken. This year, innovation and value for money have won their votes. Product of the Year (PoY), the largest annual consumer product research survey on the African continent has announced the winners of its latest South African consumer survey.

Winners are chosen following an intensive judging process based on months of rigorous research conducted by independent research house, Nielsen. Over 5 000 South African households are surveyed to understand which products have won the hearts and minds of consumers.

Selected from a shortlist of hundreds of products, the winners are from companies that continue to reinvent consumer science, which results in quality products, says PoY CEO and Chief Innovation AnalystPreetesh Sewraj.

“Consumers in South Africa are highly discerning, which is something that the survey reiterates to local and international brand owners. International companies tend to launch products that are a generation or two behind those available in developed markets.  We work to try and get South Africans the best products that companies have in their portfolios,” says Sewraj.

 He says PoY will continue its mandate of lobbying brands to offer consumers the best products and services at a price deemed equitable.

 Launched in 2008 in South Africa and present in more than 40 countries globally, POY is the world’s largest consumer voted programme that identifies and celebrates innovation in the product and services industry. 

 The 2015 winners cross a wide spectrum of industries, with the product categories ranging from personal care to household products, motor vehicle insurance and mobile phones.

Winners will be able to use the POY logo on various communication vehicles, such as television and print advertisements, and on-pack, to highlight the endorsement received from the South African public.

Product of the Year 2015 winners list

 About Product of the Year

Product of the Year has enjoyed success for 30 years and on every continent on the planet with one key goal – to champion the rights of consumers to get the best in product innovation. The organisation was started in France by Christian Le Bret and has since growth to encompass developed markets, including the U.S., U.K., Italy and Australia, as well as developing markets, such as Brazil, India and South Africa.

In South Africa, the organisation was founded by Preetesh Sewraj with Nielsen conducting the research with over 5 000 South African households surveyed. Research is conducted one-on-one and face-to-face making it the largest survey on consumer innovation in the country. Past winners come from companies as diverse as Unilever, Reckitt Benckiser, Colgate-Palmolive, Samsung and Nestle.

In total 35 innovative products were identified in the 2015 leg of the research. Winners will be able to use the Product of the Year logo on various communication vehicles, such as television ads, print and on-pack, to highlight the endorsement they have received from the South African public.

Please visit www.productoftheyear.co.za for further information.