These are the 2014 Products of the Year

IT’S official: These are the items that you need to look for the next time you’re in the grocery store. They have been named the products of the year for 2014.

Kate Midena

less than 2 min read

February 14, 2014 - 12:01AM

NewsComAu

Confusion no longer!

IT’S official: These are the items that should be first into your trolley next time you’re in the grocery store.

The results from 2014’s Product of the Year have just been released, and “with 43 winners across as many categories, represent the most innovative and exciting new products on the Australian market today”.

Product of the Year is the world’s largest consumer-voted award for product innovation. This year, the Beiresdorf brand took out four categories, including Beauty with their Pure & Natural Refreshing Cleansing Wipes; Deodorant with their Stress Protect Anti-Perspirant Deodorant Roll-on; Male Grooming with their 3-in-1 Energy Shower Gel; and Skin Care, with their Pure & Natural Moisturising Day Cream for Normal & Combination Skin.

Taking out three categories were ALDI, who took out three of the 43 places — Best Sauce with their Indian Curry Sauce with Spice Caps; Best Beverage with their Flavoured Hot Chocolate Capsules 8pk; and Best Sweet Treat with their Chocolate Waves (a product this reporter can certainly vouch for).

Download the full list of winning products

But how do we know they’re the products of the year, you ask?

Well. 135 products were entered in the awards, which were all filtered down to a shortlist of 108 by the Product of the Year jury. The only conditions were that the products must have launched between 1 January 2012 and 31 August 2013 and be nationally available.

After the jury — which was made up of everyone from Gary Dawson, the CEO of the Australian Food and Grocery Council, to Lisa Wilkinson from the Today Show — chose the finalists, they were put to a public vote using Nielsen Research.

Over 16,000 Australians cast their vote on everything from the best dishwashing liquid to the best condoms. Judging Criteria included:

• Product relevance;

• Product uniqueness;

• Product excitement;

• Product likeability;

• Value for money;

• Likelihood of purchase

The winning products for the 2014 Product of the Year were those that achieved the highest score in their relevant associated category.

Phew. Here are the winners in all their glory: