The Product of the Year South Africa (POYSA) 2024 award winners were announced at a glamorous cocktail event held at Langhams Lifestyle Experience in Fourways on 27 June 2024.
- This annual event celebrates South Africa’s most innovative consumer products, with attendance from industry leaders, VIP guests, celebrities, and select media.
- Product of the Year is the world’s largest consumer-voted award for product innovation, established in 1987 in France by former L’Oreal executive Christian LeBret.
- Over 30 years since its inception, Product of the Year operates in over 43 countries with a singular mission: guiding consumers to the best products in their market while rewarding manufacturers for quality and innovation.
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The winners of Product of the Year South Africa are determined by the votes of 2’000 consumers in a nationally representative study conducted by Kantar, a global leader in consumer research. This endorsement provides a powerful marketing tool for brands, as winning products can feature the Product of the Year logo in their marketing communications for one year, significantly boosting product sales, distribution, and awareness.
To qualify for the POYSA research study and potentially earn the Product of the Year seal, products must have national distribution and showcase meaningful consumer innovation in areas such as function, design, packaging, or ingredients. This innovation can be reflected in an entirely new product or an enhancement to an existing one, such as a new ingredient, redesigned packaging, or a reformulation, like reduced sugar content.
The 2024 awards were open to products launched after 1 January 2022, as well as products that have been in the market for 10 years or more. This year, products in 21 categories were evaluated on criteria including product appeal, purchase interest, uniqueness, and relevance. Categories encompass a broad range of consumer goods, such as Food and Beverage, Health and Beauty, Personal Care, Household Products, Pet Supplies, Pharmaceuticals, Small Appliances, Electronics, and Services.
To ensure fair competition, the research company collaborates with POYSA to group comparable products together, with each category featuring between 2 and 6 products. Winners pay a one-time fee to promote their victory and use the Product of the Year logo in media for one year. This fee also covers inclusion in the national PR campaign and a comprehensive research analysis from the consumer survey.
Product of the Year recognition serves as the standard for consumer confidence, particularly within a retail environment where customers face tough decisions at the point of purchase. Research shows that being recognized as a Product of the Year enables consumers to make quicker, more reliable, and informed decisions.
// General Manager at Product of the Year South Africa, Edith Venter
The influence of the Product of the Year logo is considered to be substantial. According to Kantar, 77% of surveyed consumers are more likely to try a new product if it carries the Product of the Year logo. Belinda Reyneke, Research Consultant for Kantar’s Insights Division in South Africa, highlighted the dual impact of the research: it helps manufacturers understand their consumers better while empowering consumers to find the best new products.
The 2024 Product of the Year winners are:
| Category | Winner |
|---|---|
| Baby Care Baby Diapers | Clicks Made 4 Baby DryProtect Range |
| Baby Care Baby Pull Up Pants | Lovies Pull Up Pants |
| Banking | Standard Bank ACHIEVATM |
| Banking: Youth Banking | Standard Bank MyMo Youth Account |
| Cold Beverages: Oat Milk | Jungle Oats Drink Range |
| Heat & Eat Meals: Ready to Eat | Rhodes Quality Veggie Bowl Full Range |
| Hot Beverages | Society Caramel Toffee Cappuccino |
| Household Cleaning: Handwashing Powder | Sunlight Handwashing Powder 2kg |
| Household Cleaning: Laundry Bars | Sunlight Laundry Bar 500g |
| Household Cleaning: Auto Washing Detergent | Sunlight Summer Sensations 2in1 Auto Washing Liquid |
| Kitchen Cleaning: Dishwashing Liquid | Sunlight Dishwashing Liquid 750ml |
| Personal Care: Hair Care | MPL Sure2Gro Fermented Rice Water Treatment |
| Personal Care: Body Wash | Satiskin Blissful Berry Concentrated Refill 1l |
| Personal Care: Personal Health | Microlax Micro–Enema |
| Personal Care: Shaving | BIC Soleil Escape Jasmine and Eucalyptus 5 Blade |
| Personal Care: Facial Care | Sorbet BB Cream |
| Spices: Curry Powders | Hinds Spices Mild & Spicy Curry Powder |
| Spices: Refillable Spices | Robertsons Spice 85g |
| Spices: Food Coating | Hinds Southern Coating Seasoned Breadcrumbs |
| Vaping | Vuse Go Edition 01 (3000 puff) |
| Household Appliances: Cordless Floor Cleaner | Kärcher FC7 Cordless Floor Cleaner |
Through the evolving challenges of integrating physical and digital marketplaces, products manage to stay relevant and meet consumers where their values and money converge.
// Global CEO of Product of the Year, Mike Nolan
Mike also commended the 2024 submissions for their innovation, market knowledge, and product design, encouraging brands to participate in the 2025 awards. Entries for the 2025 Product of the Year Awards will be accepted from September 2024.
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