TORONTO, March 20, 2017 /CNW/ - Today BrandSpark International announced the results of their fourteenth annual Best New Product Awards (BNPA) where more than 20,000 Canadians voted on the latest and greatest new health and beauty, food and beverage and household products in 50 different categories. BrandSpark also surveyed Canadians about their shopping habits for everyday consumer packaged goods (CPG) products. A complete list of BNPA winners follows. More information about the Best New Product Awards can be found at www.BestNewProductAwards.biz.
"Over the past fourteen years, Canadian shoppers have informed us via the BrandSpark Canadian Shopper Study that the Best New Product Awards has become the most credible and influential CPG awards program," said Robert Levy president of BrandSpark International and founder of the BNPAs. "With thousands of new products launched into the marketplace every year and many new ways to buy products including e-commerce sites, consumers are looking for ways to identify which products are really the best and deserving of their dollars."
Peer reviews are the new word of mouth helping Canadians make better purchase decisions
"Our data informs us that one of the biggest growing consumer trends is peer reviews," added Levy, "and 80 per cent of Canadians also trust independent consumer voted awards like the Best New Product Awards. Together these help consumers navigate the new product jungle."
Six in ten Canadians regularly search for reviews and four in five Canadians will share their experiences in conversations while one quarter of Canadians regularly share their experiences on review web sites. Interestingly 70 per cent of women and 60 per cent of men report that they are likely to choose a product that is recommended by other consumers.
One in every two shoppers regularly check online ratings when referencing reviews, reading both positive and negative reviews in detail. "What we're starting to notice is a small increase in the way reviews are consumed, with 70 per cent of shoppers still preferring written reviews and five per cent of Canadians prefering video reviews. Men were twice as likely to prefer video reviews versus women, while surprisingly preference did not change with age," added Levy.
Canadians embrace innovation; women more so then men
"Our data informs us that Canadians embrace innovation with 75 per cent of Canadians stating that they like trying new products," said Levy, "this number has remained relatively steady year over year." In fact, one in two Canadians say they actively look for new or innovative products when shopping. The Study reports that women are better at seeking out innovation versus men. "Men particularly have trouble keeping up with all the new products in store with 60 per cent having difficulty in determing what's new and best versus only 40 per cent of women."
Innovation that continues to resonate with Canadians includes natural food products. The claim "no artificial sweeteners" is considered "very important" by almost one in two shoppers, even though the vast majority are concerned about their sugar intake. Other "very important" claims for Canadians included: "antibiotic free" and "hormone free" by more than four in ten shoppers; yet just one in four shoppers regularly include some organic products in their grocery cart.
With beauty and personal care, Canadians continue to seek products that will be "gentle on skin," which was reported as "very important" for one in two shoppers, whether it be natural, organic or otherwise. With a complex array of ingredients, more mass beauty shoppers rely on simple claims including: "hypo-allergenic," "unscented," and providing "SPF or UV protection." "Our research informs us that vitamin E and aloe remain the skin care ingredients recognized by the most shoppers," added Levy, "while ingredients trending up include hyaluronic acid, collagen, and 'essential oils' including argan oil."
Canadians' household economics are split with half living comfortably and half struggling
Canadian consumer confidence is split, with four in ten shoppers saying they are financially comfortable, and just as many saying they usually live pay cheque to pay cheque. A majority say they are foregoing or delaying some consumer purchases to balance expenses, with one in three citing dining out and the same proportion citing salon or beauty treatments. "This frugality may be an opportunity for innovation from home food product manufacturers or mass beauty brands," added Levy. "In fact, over 50 per cent of shoppers think that personal care and beauty products from mass market brands are just as effective as those from prestige brands."
2017 Best New Product Award Winners
| HEALTH & BEAUTY CATEGORIES |
PRODUCT |
| Baby & Toddler Care |
Aveeno Baby Eczema Care Nighttime Balm |
| Body Moisturizer/Lotion |
Jergens Moisturizer for Wet Skin |
| Conditioner |
Pantene Moisture Renewal 3 Minute Miracle Deep Conditioner |
| Eye Liner & Eyebrow Pencil |
L'Oréal Paris Brow Stylist Define Pencil |
| Facial Cleanser |
Garnier Skin Active Micellar Water |
| Facial Moisturizer with SPF |
Aveeno Absolutely Ageless Daily Moisturizer SPF 30 |
| Facial Skincare |
L'Oréal Paris Pure Clay Mask |
| Foundation |
L'Oréal Paris Infallible Pro-Glow Foundation |
| Hair Colour |
Schwarzkopf Keratin Colour Intense Cocoa 4.6 |
| Hair Removal |
Veet Silk & Fresh Technology Hair Removal Cream |
| Hairspray |
Pantene Airspray Hairspray |
| Lip Colour |
Burt's Bees Lipstick |
| Mascara/Primer |
L'Oréal Paris Voluminous Primer |
| Men's Antiperspirant |
Old Spice Odor Blocker Antiperspirant |
| Men's Hair Styling |
L'Oréal Paris Men Expert Sculpting Paste |
| Men's Razor |
Gillette Fusion ProShield Razor |
| Shampoo |
L'Oréal Paris Extraordinary Clay Shampoo |
| Toothbrush (Over $9) |
Colgate Sensitive Pro-Relief Toothbrush + Built-In Sensitivity Relief Pen |
| Toothpaste |
Colgate Max Fresh KnockOut |
| Vitamin/Supplement |
Jamieson Omega's with No Fishy Aftertaste |
| Women's Incontinence |
Depend Night Defense Underwear for Women |
| FOOD & BEVERAGE CATEGORIES |
PRODUCT |
| Baking |
Duncan Hines Salted Caramel Brownie Mix |
| Bread/Wrap |
Country Harvest Canadian Rustic Bean |
| Butter/Margarine |
Becel Original with Simple Ingredients |
| Cheese |
Black Diamond Natural Cheese Sticks - Marble |
| Chocolate Bar |
Brookside Dark Chocolate Tablet Bars |
| Chocolate Snack |
Mars Bites |
| Coffee |
NESCAFÉ Sweet & Creamy |
| Crackers |
Twistos Garden Dill and Cream Cheese Baked Snack Crackers |
| Drink Carbonation System |
SodaStream Power Sparkling Water Maker |
| Frozen Dessert |
Chapman's Yukon Moose Sandwich |
| Frozen Entrée |
High Liner Marinated Portions |
| Frozen Pizza |
Dr. Oetker Casa di Mama Pulled Pork Pizza |
| Limited Edition Seasonal Chocolate |
TURTLES Limited Edition Assorted 4 Flavours Box 67g |
| Meat Snack |
Piller's Salami Whips |
| Packaged Meat |
Maple Leaf Canadian Craft |
| Pasta |
Catelli SuperGreens Pasta |
| Protein Bar |
Genuine Health Fermented Vegan Proteins+ Bars - |
| Snack Bar |
Special K Nourish Cranberries & Almonds Bar |
| Spread/Dip |
Sabra Hummus Spreads |
| Yogourt |
Liberté Caramelized Pineapple & Pecans |
| HOUSEHOLD CATEGORIES |
PRODUCT |
| Air Care |
Renuzit Sensitive Scents - Pure Ocean Breeze |
| Baby & Toddler Care |
Aveeno Baby Eczema Care Nighttime Balm |
| Bathroom Cleaning |
Vim Power & Shine Bathroom Spray |
| Cat Litter |
Arm & Hammer Clump & Seal LightWeight Cat Litter |
| Dish Soap |
Palmolive Fusion Clean Baking Soda & Lime |
| Dog Food/Treat |
Milk-Bone Good Morning Daily Vitamin Treats |
| Household Paper |
SpongeTowels Ultra Strong Minis |
| Laundry Stain Remover |
OxiClean MaxForce Laundry Foam Pre-treater |
| Liquid Laundry Detergent |
Purex OXI Plus |
| Single Dose Laundry Detergent |
Tide PODS Plus Febreze Odor Defense |
About BrandSpark International
BrandSpark International is a leading marketing research company that also services brands looking to launch new products and stand out in the competitive marketplace. With deep expertise in consumer packaged goods (CPG), BrandSpark understands the insights and content that brands need to launch and support new products. BrandSpark has developed leading consumer‐voted awards programs that help Canadian shoppers make smarter choices every day: Best New Product Awards and BrandSpark Most Trusted Awards (www.BrandSparkMostTrusted.com). CPG brands are also leveraging BrandSpark's new product engagement platform, Shopper Army (www.ShopperArmy.com), to generate new product reviews, certified claims and the key insights needed to support products in market. For more information, visit www.BrandSpark.com.
SOURCE Best New Product Awards
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