South African consumers have once again cast their votes in the country’s most comprehensive independent product survey. Product of the Year
South Africa is proud to unveil the 32 winners of the 2025 Product of the Year Awards, showcasing the most innovative products and services across multiple sectors.
Spanning categories from personal care to finance, the winning products were chosen by a nationally representative survey of 2,000 South African consumers, conducted by global
insights leader Kantar. Each winner earned its place based on real consumer opinions—evaluated for appeal, relevance, uniqueness, satisfaction, and innovation.
“As South African shoppers continue to tighten their belts and juggle daily expenses, the peace of mind that they are spending wisely on products that are recognised and endorsed by their fellow consumers is priceless,” says Edith Venter, General Manager of Product of the Year South Africa. “Whether it’s a reimagined heritage product or a brand-new entry to market, these products all share one thing: they connect with consumers in ways that matter.
The Product of the Year seal is a mark of trust, backed by solid research and consumer endorsement.”
Among the highlights of 2025 is the introduction of a refreshed Product of the Year logo, a modernised design that reinforces the brand’s promise of quality, innovation, and consumer backing. The new logo will appear on packaging, advertising, and marketing materials for all 2025 winners, providing instant recognition on shelves and screens.
This year’s entries included a wide range of innovations launched between 1 January 2023 and 31 December 2024, as well as ‘Heritage’ products – longstanding favourites that
continue to adapt to evolving consumer needs. All entrants were judged on innovation in one or more of the following areas: function, design, packaging, or ingredients.
Mike Nolan, Global CEO of Product of the Year, adds “We’re seeing incredible growth and momentum in South Africa. The programme’s ability to welcome entries across all
industries—FMCG, services, tech, financial and more—demonstrates its relevance in today’s market. A Product of the Year win offers local and international credibility and helps brands stand out in an increasingly cluttered space.”
Why it Matters:
Independent Validation: All winners were selected through Kantar’s rigorous,
transparent methodology.
Tangible ROI: 75% of consumers are more likely to try a product with the POY logo.
Related
Broad Impact: Past winners have reported increased brand visibility, trust, and sales
performance.
Marketing Power: Winners may use the Product of the Year logo on all
communications for one year, offering instant credibility at every touchpoint and
much-needed peace of mind to consumers.
Full List of 2025 Category Winners
No. Category Product Name Brand/Manufacture
r
Award Type
1 Baby Pants Clicks Made 4 Baby
Pants Size 3 Midi
Clicks Heritage
2 Banking – General Standard Bank
ACHIEVA
Standard Bank Standard
3 Cakes Chateau Gateaux Chateau Gateaux Standard
4 Curry Powder Rajah Curry Powder Unilever Heritage
5 Diapers – Adult Grand Masters Adult
Diapers
Lil Masters Standard
6 Diapers – Baby Cuddlers Gold
Disposable Nappies
National Pride Heritage
7 Face Cream Clicks SUNprotect
Anti-Ageing SPF50
Face Cream
Clicks Heritage
8 Food Spices Robertsons – Chicken
Spice/BBQ/Steak &
Chops
Unilever Heritage
9 Fruit Juice 100% Pressed Fruit
Juice Blend
Spar Encore Standard
10 Funeral Planning Standard Bank
Flexible Funeral Plan
Standard Bank Standard
12 Health – Child Panado Infant Drops Adcock Ingram Heritage
11 Health Care Osteoeze Gold Once
A Day Powder
Nativa Standard
13 Hygiene – Men’s
Deodorant
Dove Men+Care Full
Range
Unilever Standard
14 Hygiene – Women’s
Deodorant
Even Tone Roll On /
Deodorant
AMKA Standard
15 Hygiene – Women’s
Shower
Fresh Glow Shower
Crème
AMKA Standard
16 Investments Standard Bank Tax
Free Call Investment
Account
Standard Bank Heritage
17 Lip Gloss Smudge Lip Plumper: Smudge Standard
Plum / Pearl
18 Mascara Smudge – Full range Smudge Standard
19 Nicotine Pouches VELO Nicotine
Pouches
BAT Standard
20 Pain Relief – Adult Panado Effervescent Adcock Ingram Heritage
21 Ready to Drink
Spirit Cooler – Rum
Malibu Ready to Drink
Spirit Cooler
Pernod Ricard Standard
22 Ready to Drink
Spirit Cooler –
Vodka
Absolut Cocktail Spirit
Cooler Range
Pernod Ricard Standard
23 Ready to Eat –
Mince
Knorrox Soya Mince Unilever Heritage
25 Smoothing Serums Sorbet Smoothing
10% AHA + BHA
Serum
Sorbet Heritage
24 Soap Lifebuoy with
Multivitamins
Unilever Heritage
26 Soup Knorrox Low
Economy Soup
Unilever Heritage
27 Sparkling Wine
Cocktails
Cheeky Cocktails
Mimosa
Black Vulture Beverage Standard
28 Stock Cubes Knorrox Stock Cubes Unilever Heritage
29 Student Loans Standard Bank
Student Loan
Standard Bank Standard
30 Vapes Vuse Go Reload 1000 BAT Standard
31 Wet Wipes Clicks My Earth
Flushable Eco Wipes
Clicks Heritage
32 Youth Bank
Accounts
Standard Bank MyMo
Account
Standard Bank Standard
For brands, earning the Product of the Year title isn’t just a badge of honour, it’s a proven
accelerator of trust, visibility, and consumer engagement. For consumers, it’s a shortcut to
quality and innovation in a cluttered market. As the 2025 winners celebrate their
achievement, the Product of the Year seal continues to signal one thing clearly: this is a
product South Africans believe in.
Chief Executive Officer of Kantar South Africa, Ivan Moroke comments, “The 2025
research highlighted one key insight—South African consumers value relevance and
functionality, especially in times of economic uncertainty. This year’s winners reflect not only
innovation but also a deep understanding of what people genuinely need.”
Entries for the 2026 Product of the Year Awards will be accepted from September 2025.
For more information about the programme visit www.productoftheyear.co.za
ENDS
