Home brands dominate product awards as cost-of-living bites

The people have spoken, Australia has voted on its favourite products.

However, older shoppers are leading a trend of ‘feeling disengaged’ with grocery shopping, according to research.

Five thousand Australian shoppers have had their say and cast votes for their favourite supermarket and everyday products, in the Product of the Year Awards (POY) for 2025. The world’s largest consumer-based awards program is now in its 16th year in Australia, recognising product innovation.

Some of Australia’s major retailers, including Coles, Woolworths and Kmart dominate the list.

With inflation and rising food prices continuing to cause frustration amongst Australian households, it’s no surprise that 9 in 10 Aussies are now using affordability as their yardstick when determining product choices, according to new research conducted by NielsenIQ for POY. Similar findings revealed that almost two in three shoppers are sacrificing indulgence items like chocolate and desserts, while 17 per cent (up 4 points from last year) are removing cleaning products from their trollies to cut their budgets.

Affordability the driving factor

Product of the Year director, Sarah Connelly says: “For the third year in a row, affordability has been the driving factor in influencing how people are filling their shopping trollies in the hopes of reducing their grocery bills.

“This – paired with our research revealing Australians in the 55+ category are feeling disengaged with grocery shopping – shows how the cost of living continues to put pressure on many Aussie households.

“That said, the POY winners’ trends are demonstrating that many Australians prioritise fresh, whole foods, easy cooking solutions and innovation to home brand products, such as recyclable packaging, perhaps indicating a shift to stores catering to a younger generation of shoppers.”

This year, Product of the Year welcomed back the Storage Bed from Emma Sleep, TePe, with their TePe Choice Toothbrush, and Aussie home-grown brands Koala Sleep for The Koala Mattress and LeVel Beverages with a new sports drink.

In addition, POY is very excited to welcome first-time winners, Kmart, with the ANKO Hard Anodised Non-Stick Frypan, E45 Face Moisturiser from Nice Pak and Spirex Study App Notebook Range into the fold for 2025.

ANKO frypans for the win

If you are looking for a new frypan, it might be time to invest in the ANKO. It’s a second accolade for the ANKO frypan which has also been lauded by CHOICE. The range starts at just $19.

Other winners include: Reckitt Benckiser Pine O Cleen Pine O Cleen Platinum Antibacterial Laundry Sanitiser; Ferrero Australia Ferrero Rocher Ferrero Rocher and Tassal Cooked Australian Tiger Prawns.

Coles products include: Coles Finest Chocolate Hazelnut Cookie; Simply Garlic Bread twin pack; Coles Red Tab Coles Overnight Chia Pudding; Coles Daley Street Instant Coffee; Coles Finest Lime Cocktail Slices; Coles Red Grandma’s Heirloom Tomato Fresh Produce: Coles Simply Tomato & Basil Pasta Sauce and Coles Immunity Lift Juice.

Meanwhile, Woolworths winners include: Woolworths Slow Cooked Traditional Beef Roast With Garlic and Herbs; Woolworths Smash Cake Celebration Cakes; Woolworths Lemon Crumb Barramundi Seafood; Woolworths Sea Salt Deli Style Potato Chips; Woolworths Premium Beef Chuck & Brisket Mince.

For a full list of all winners, visit here.

Savings tactics

The NIELSENIQ research also found:

• Nine in 10 Australians are using a variety of tactics to help stretch their dollar further – most likely switching to home brands, buying cheaper alternatives/ cuts of meat, and cutting back on out-of-home expenditure.
• Shoppers gave Woolworths the nod as the leading retailer with the best selection of fresh, healthy, and organic products. Meanwhile, Coles is closing the gap this year for providing the best shopping experience, only slightly tailing Woolworths (34 per cent) at 28 per cent.
• Value-based supermarket chain Aldi has once again come out on top as the most affordable choice.
• The most relevant changes to grocery shopping have been having better rewards and loyalty schemes when shopping (60 per cent) and increased product ranges for convenience and so being able to get everything in the one place (52 per cent).

Have you changed your shopping habits to save money? Why not share your experience in the comments section below?

Also read: Discover Australia’s best supermarket chocolate chip biscuits