Recognizing products surveyed by more than 50,000 consumers across the United States, the Product of the Year Award USA winners have been announced, counting among them products from Nestle USA, Mars, McCormick & Co., Sara Lee and more.
Product of the Year is a consumer product award program that rewards innovation and is voted on by real consumers. Established 25 years ago in France, the program currently operates in 28 countries with the purpose of guiding consumers to the best products in their market and rewarding manufacturers for quality and innovation. Held for the third time in the U.S., this year saw the following winners:
- Personal Care—Speed Stick and Lady Speed Stick Stainguard Antiperspirant Deodorant, Colgate-Palmolive Company
- Toothpaste—Aquafresh iso-active Whitening, GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare
- Mouthwash—Listerine Zero, Johnson & Johnson Healthcare Products Division of McNeil-PPC, Inc.
- Candy & Snacks—M&M'S Pretzel Chocolate Candies, Mars Chocolate North America
- Frozen Food—Lean Cuisine Market Creations, Nestle USA
- Specialty Foods—Buitoni Riserva Frozen Complete Meals for Two, Nestle USA
- Cooking Spices—Recipe Inspirations, McCormick & Company, Inc.
- Beverage—Lipton Brisk, Pepsi-Lipton Partnership
- Hair Care—Pantene Pro-V Customized Solutions, Procter & Gamble
- Hair Styling—Pantene Pro-V Customized Solutions Stylers & Treatments, Procter & Gamble
- Air Care—Air Wick Air Freshener, Reckitt Benckiser
- Personal Hygiene—Lysol Healthy Touch No-Touch Hand Soap System, Reckitt Benckiser
- Breakfast—Jimmy Dean Hearty Sausage Crumbles, Sara Lee
- Cooking—Olivari Mediterranean Olive Oil, Sovena USA
"Consumers are smarter than ever and watching what they spend more intelligently," said Phil Lempert, the Supermarket Guru. "Even though mobile devices and social networks offer just about every product review possible, it is still the "human" social network that is the most powerful. With over 60,000 shoppers voting on the most innovative for a Product of the Year award, there is not a better recommendation."
