New products of the year honored

Last night’s inaugural Product of the Year (POY) USA Awards Dinner honored 16 CPG new-product launches for their innovations. The winners first reached domestic store shelves between January 2007 and August 2008, and represented a variety of food and nonfood grocery categories. More than 100,000 consumers across the United States elected the products of the year in an October 2008 poll by TNS Market Research. This methodology centers on the originality consumers see in the function, design and packaging of new products. TNS teamed with the Product of the Year enterprise, which was established in France 22 years ago and conducts similar annual programs in 20 different nations. Over the years, winning products and brands have grown their annual sales an average of 10% to 15%—a result in part of their right to bear the POY logo on packages for one year. “Consumers are inundated more than ever before by thousands of products and advertisements vying for attention spans, and a continually changing economy,” said Phil Lempert, The Supermarket Guru and official spokesperson for Product of the Year USA. “There is a fear and hesitancy to spend their hard-earned dollars on products that simply do not deliver.”

Last night’s inaugural Product of the Year (POY) USA Awards Dinner honored 16 CPG new-product launches for their innovations. The winners first reached domestic store shelves between January 2007 and August 2008, and represented a variety of food and nonfood grocery categories.

More than 100,000 consumers across the United States elected the products of the year in an October 2008 poll by TNS Market Research. This methodology centers on the originality consumers see in the function, design and packaging of new products.

TNS teamed with the Product of the Year enterprise, which was established in France 22 years ago and conducts similar annual programs in 20 different nations. Over the years, winning products and brands have grown their annual sales an average of 10% to 15%—a result in part of their right to bear the POY logo on packages for one year.

“Consumers are inundated more than ever before by thousands of products and advertisements vying for attention spans, and a continually changing economy,” said Phil Lempert, The Supermarket Guru and official spokesperson for Product of the Year USA. “There is a fear and hesitancy to spend their hard-earned dollars on products that simply do not deliver.”

Added Shannon Hazlett, senior manager, TNS: “Economic uncertainty makes consumers more risk-averse and drives them toward better value products. The TNS survey found that 41% of consumers are seeking new products that offer better value for the money.”

The USA winners received their awards last night from event emcee Lempert at the packed Rainbow Room in New York City. Each will be able to place the red POY logo on their packages in 2009. They include: