Product of the Year South Africa (POYSA) has recently announced the 2024 Product of the Year winners.

POYSA hosted a prestigious Gala event, which recognises South Africa’s most innovative consumer products, at Langhams Lifestyle Experience in Fourways, on Thursday 27th June.

Product of the Year is South Africa’s largest consumer-voted award for product innovation. These awards are part of a global network of over 40 national programmes and were created to champion new product innovation. This will in turn provide shoppers with a shortcut to the most loved new products on the market.

According to POYSA, in order to be accepted in the research study and stand a chance of winning the Product of the Year seal, products need to have national distribution and demonstrate meaningful consumer innovation in either function, design, packaging or ingredients.

This could be an entirely new product or a useful innovation to an existing product or brand, such as a new ingredient, redesigned shape or size, new formulation – such as reduced sugar, or new packaging – such as user-friendly or “green”.

Entry into the 2024 Awards was open to new products which were launched after January 1st 2022, as well as products that have been in the market for 10 years or more.

This year, products in 21 categories were evaluated across several criteria including product appeal, purchase interest, uniqueness and relevance.

“Research shows that being recognised as a Product of the Year enables a consumer to make a quicker, more reliable and informed decision.” – POYSA General Manager, Edith Venter

Research ahead of POYSA awards

Product of the Year is voted for by 2000 connected adult consumers in South Africa. According to leading consumer research partner Kantar, 77% of people surveyed find that a Product of the Year logo influences their decision to try a new product.

In a statement, POYSA says it analyses and presents the data that serves as a reference point for selecting winners, allowing them to stand out in a competitive market. This will help manufacturers better understand their consumers and get closer to their needs, while also empowering consumers to find the best new products.

“Congratulations to the winners, as well as the entrants, outshining competitors in an increasingly competitive market is an enormous achievement.” – Belinda Reyneke, Research Consultant for Kantar’s Insights Division in South Africa

Entries for the 2025 Product of the Year Awards will be accepted from September 2024.

For more information about the programme visit www.productoftheyear.co.za