2026 PRODUCT OF THE YEAR WINNERS REVEALED: AUSSIE SHOPPERS ARE DRIVING HEALTH AND WELLNESS SUPERMARKET TRENDS WITH NEW WINNING PRODUCTS

Product of the Year

Key Facts:

74% of Australians have a personal health goal, with top wellness preferences including no sugar (37%), high protein (36%) and gut health support (20%)
Social media significantly influences purchasing decisions, particularly for young adults, with TikTok (66%) and Instagram (49%) being the main platforms for ages 18-24
Private label products are gaining unprecedented trust, with 68% of winning products in the 2026 Product of the Year Awards coming from Coles and Woolworths
80% of Australians shop at multiple retailers monthly, primarily motivated by better deals (70%), product availability (57%), and convenience (40%)
Sustainability and ethical sourcing are increasingly important, with 75% of consumers considering ethical sourcing in their purchase decisions

Now in its 17th year in Australia, the world’s largest consumer-based awards program continues to recognise product innovation and serve as a trusted shortcut for shoppers, saving them time and money at the checkout.

This year, health and wellness are front of mind for Australian consumers. New research conducted by NielsenIQ for Product of the Year reveals that 74 per cent of Australians say they have a personal health goal, with shifting priorities shaping the supermarket shelves. Younger and mid-life adults are particularly focused on finding products that support energy, fitness, better sleep, stress relief and mental sharpness.

The top wellness preferences shaping decisions include no sugar (37%), high protein (36%) and gut health support (20%). These trends are reflected in this year’s winners across vitamins, supplements, fertility and healthy snacking categories, including Ultralife Adult Hair Skin Nails Gummies, Ultralife Ashwagandha Tablets and Macro Chia Sesame Snaps.

Almost 1 in 5 consumers now turn to products promoted by social media influencers, with these recommendations directly influencing what lands in their shopping baskets. From viral healthy recipes to trending fitness diets, social media is shaping purchase decisions for younger audiences, with TikTok (66%) and Instagram (49%) leading the way for Australians aged 18 to 24.

Beyond the wellness wave, Australians are placing strong value on peer recommendations when navigating supermarket aisles. Research reveals that seeing the POY logo on shelves boosts shoppers’ confidence, with one in four saying it influences their purchase decisions.

Product of the Year Director, Sarah Connelly, says “Shopping can feel overwhelming when you’re faced with hundreds of options in every aisle, so it’s important to have some smart shortcuts.”

For Aussies looking to make the most out of their shop, Product of the Year’s top shopping tips are:

Plan ahead by making a shopping list to stay organised and avoid overspending.
Be open to trying new products, as innovation often brings better value, quality, and convenience.
Look out for the red POY logo, so you can buy with confidence knowing the product has been judged and voted on by over 5,000 Aussie shoppers.

This year’s research also revealed that private labels are seeing unprecedented levels of trust, with over half of shoppers now saying they trust them as much as, if not more than, national brands. This is particularly strong among younger adults, higher income earners and employed individuals.

Sarah Connelly continues, “Of the 40 winning products in the 2026 POY Awards, 27 were innovative products from Coles and Woolworths. Last year, home brands claimed 55 per cent of the winning categories, while this year that figure has jumped to 68 per cent, showing us that investments in innovation from private labels are continuing to resonate with shoppers.”

Retail hopping is also on the rise, with four in five Australians now shopping at more than one retailer each month. For seven in ten, the motivation is finding better deals, but other drivers include product availability (57%), convenience (40%), loyalty rewards (35%) and access to exclusive products (31%).

In addition to this, sustainability continues to rise as a purchase driver, especially among younger generations and employed groups, with three in four consumers saying ethical sourcing is important to them. Winning products from this year’s POY Awards reflect this growing trend with sustainable winners including Cocobella Coconut Water Coffee for its recyclable packaging, Koala for its B Corp certification and Bespoke Foods for its sustainable sourcing of potatoes.

The POY awards also welcome first-time winners in 2026, including Made Group Swiss Precision Diagnostics GmbH, Scholl, Rokeby Nutrition, Flora Food Group, and Bespoke Foods.

Sarah Connelly adds, “It’s always exciting to welcome new brands into the POY community, especially those who are shaking up their categories with a strong focus on consumer needs. These newcomers prove that innovation is key for Aussies, and that shoppers are eager to reward products that go the extra mile.”

POY entries are accessed by a panel of industry experts for quality, credibility, and innovation, producing a shortlist of category finalists. These finalists are then evaluated and voted on by a panel of over 5,000 Australian consumers. The process is supported by NielsenIQ, which then applies six key innovation criteria to analyse consumer feedback, including:

Relevance – is the product fulfilling a need or addressing a problem?
Uniqueness – does it stand out and bring something new to the category?
Excitement – how excited are shoppers to use the product, and would they spread the word?
Likeability – does it deliver on its promise?
Distinctiveness – does it add something new to its category?
Innovation – is it genuinely innovative?

KEY RESEARCH FINDINGS FROM NIELSENIQ:

74 per cent of Australians say they have a personal health goal.
Nearly 1 in 5 consumers turn to products promoted by social media influencers.
1 in 4 shoppers say seeing the Product of the Year logo increases their confidence to try or repurchase a product.
Over half of shoppers now trust private label products as much as, or more than, national brands.
4 in 5 Australians shop at more than one retailer each month.
3 in 4 consumers say ethical sourcing is important to them.

PRODUCT OF THE YEAR – 2026 WINNERS

Category Name	Company Name	Brand Name	Product Name
Asian	Coles Group	Coles	Coles Asia Fried Shallots
Baby food	Woolworths Food Company	Macro	Macro Organic Baby Food Mixed Fruit and Spinach Smoothie With Yoghurt & Oats
Bake at home-Sweet Desserts	Woolworths Food Company	Woolworths	Woolworths Snack Apple Pies 4 Pack
Bakery - Cakes	Coles Group	Coles	Coles Made With KitKat Cake
Bakery - Snacking	Woolworths Food Company	Woolworths	Woolworths Indulgent Hot Cross Buns Filled With Cinnabon 4 Pack
Beds	Emma Sleep Pty Ltd	Emma	Emma Sleep Rosewood Bed
Beverage - Coconut water	Made Group	Cocobella	Cocobella Coconut Water Coffee
Beverages - Sparkling Water	Woolworths Food Company	Woolworths	Woolworths Lightly Sparkling Water Cans Lime 250ml x 6 Pack
Biscuits/Snacking	Woolworths Food Company	Woolworths	Woolworths Apple Slice Cookies
Breakfast	Coles Group	Coles Finest	Coles finest Granola Honey Roasted with Nut
Coffee Pods	Starbucks	Starbucks	Starbucks by Nespresso Ristretto Shot
Condiments	Coles Group	Coles	Coles Special Herb Mayo
Confectionary-Chocolate	Woolworths Food Company	Woolworths	Woolworths Belgian Dark Chocolate With Himalayan Salt
Dairy - Cheese	Coles Group	Coles Finest	Coles Finest Chilli Cheddar Cheese Slices
Dairy - Flavoured Milk	Rokeby Nutrition	Rokeby	Rokeby Bold Brew Iced Latte
Dairy - Plant Based	Flora Food Group	Flora	Flora Plant-based Block Salted
Dairy -Yoghurt	Made Group	Cocobella	Cocobella Yoghurt + Protein
Entertaining-Savoury	Woolworths Food Company	Woolworths	Woolworths Chicken Parmi Balls 8 Pack
Entertaining-Sweet Desserts - Frozen	Coles Group	Coles Finest	Coles Finest French Lemon Meringue Tart 2 pack
Frozen Chips	Bespoke Foods	Bespoke	Bespoke Homestyle Potato Chips
Fresh Meat - Burgers	Woolworths Food Company	Woolworths	Woolworths Smash Beef Burgers
Fresh seafood	Tassal	Tassal	Tassal Salmon Family Bundle
Furniture - Bed Topper	Emma Sleep Pty Ltd	Emma	Emma Sleep Cooling Flip Topper
Health and Wellness - Fertility	Swiss Precision Diagnostics GmbH	Clear Blue	Clear blue Advanced Digital Ovulation Test now with Free Period & Cycle Tracking App
Health and Wellness (Supplements)	Coles Group	Ultralife	Ultralife Ashgandha Tablet 60 Tablets
Health and Wellness (Vitamins)	Coles Group	Ultralife	Ultralife Adult Hair Skin Nails Gummies
Healthy Snacking	Woolworths Food Company	Macro	Macro Chia Sesame Snaps 3 Pack
Household Cleaning	Woolworths	Strike	Strike Pro Double Length Paper Towels 3 Ply 3 pack
Ice cream - Individual Sticks	Coles Group	Coles	Coles Strawberry & Chocolate Milkshake Pops 8pk
Ice cream - Tubs	Coles Group	Coles Finest	Coles Finest Mango Sorbet Tub
Laundry	Coles Group	Coles Ultra	Coles Ultra Tropical Oasis Fabric Conditioner
Mattress	Origin	Origin	Origin Lumbar Cloud Mattress
OTC First aid/Medicated	Scholl	Scholl	Scholl Freeze Away Skin Tag Remover
Potatoes - Frozen	Coles Group	Coles Finest	Coles Finest Frozen Vegetables Parmentier Potatoes with Herb Butter
Ready Meals - Fresh	Coles Group	Coles	Coles Made Easy Slow Cooked Pork Belly Bites in BBQ Honey
Ready Meals - Frozen	Coles Group	Coles Finest	Coles Finest Potato Gnocchi with Cacio e Pepe Sauce
Seasoning	Coles Group	Coles	Coles Special Fried Chicken Salt
Sofa Beds	Koala	Koala	Koala Suffolk Sofa
Spreads	Coles Group	Coles Mum's	Coles Mum's Australian Strawberry Jam
Vegetables - Frozen	Coles Group	Coles Kitchen	Coles Kitchen Lemon & Herb Corn Ribs

[1] Product of the Year Australia 2026 -Diagnostic Report 2025. NielsenIQ.

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NOTES TO EDITORS
The timing of Product of the Year runs from February kicking off the entry cycle to a winners’ announcement in October. All of the products awarded will have the opportunity to promote their win through the end of 2025 to the end of 2026.

Contact details:

For more information, high-res imagery or to request an interview with Sarah Connelly or the winning brands, please contact Zarah Jaggers at [email protected] or 0402 420 247.