Each year, around 10,000 shoppers take part in a consumer survey that elects a single Product of the Year across various categories ranging from beer and tobacco to desserts. The competition is valuable to manufacturers and consumers alike - it is thought to provide a marketing boost for the products that win a gong, and according to research company Kantar, 86% of shoppers are more likely to purchase a product that has been voted 'product of the year'.
The competition was founded in France in 1987 and is held in more than 40 countries today, including the US, Canada, Australia, South Africa, Spain, Italy, and more.
Scroll through the gallery to reveal the winning products.
Main image: GettyImages/jabkitticha
As chosen by thousands of UK consumers, scroll through the gallery to see the dairy products that stood out to shoppers over the course of the year.
Made with West Country cream, Premier Foods' Ambrosia Deluxe Custard is the brand's 'creamiest, most luxurious and thickest' custard. The product was the winner in the Dessert category.
Starbucks' multiserve chilled coffee range scooped Product of the Year 2023 in the Chilled Coffee category. Arla Foods, which has a partnership with Starbucks to manufacture, distribute and market the coffee chain's milk-based RTD beverages, said the winning product had received 'phenomenal response' from consumers.
It looks like Danone's decision to rebrand its top-tier formula range has paid off, as consumers have voted Aptamil Advanced as the winner of in the 2023 Formula Milk category. This is a third consecutive win for Danone's Aptamil, which triumphed in the same category in 2022 with the Aptamil Follow on Milk Tabs and in 2021 with the Profutura Follow On Milk.
Yeo Valley Organic has been recognized for its 1L semi-skimmed and whole milk carton. The packaging uses 70% less plastic versus its previous 1L bottle – that’s 16g less plastic for every pack sold, according to Arla Foods, owner of Yeo Valley Dairies Limited.
Holly Twiss, Brand Manager at Yeo Valley Organic, said: “We’re thrilled that our 1 Litre carton has been recognised at this year’s Product of the Year Awards. As organic farmers, we always strive to put nature first, which is why we switched our 1L fresh organic milk from plastic bottles, to fully plant-based cartons. By making this change, we have cut the carbon footprint for our packaging by more than half.”
