The 2026 Product of the Year Winners Announced as Voted by South African Consumers
Written by: Product of the Year South Africa Save to Instapaper
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 announce the 40 winners of the 2026 Product of the Year Awards, recognising products and services that have stood out for innovation, relevance, and real consumer appeal.
The awards were held on 28 May 2026 at Luxx Venue in Sandhurst, bringing together leading brands and industry guests for an evening celebrating consumer choice and the products South Africans trust.
Winners were selected through an independent, nationally representative study conducted by research partner Kantar, with 2,600 South African consumers evaluating products across key measures including appeal, relevance, uniqueness, satisfaction and purchase interest.
“As the programme continues to grow, it is a clear signal that brands recognise the value of consumer choice, and what it can unlock at shelf,” says Edith Venter, General Manager of Product of the Year South Africa. “Shopping patterns are evolving. Consumers are not only looking for the cheapest option, but they’re also looking for products that deliver real value. The Product of the Year seal is a trusted shortcut at the point of purchase, helping shoppers choose with confidence in a cluttered retail environment.”
Mike Nolan, Global CEO of Product of the Year, reinforced the commercial value of the programme, describing Product of the Year as “a hugely important tool” in the marketing toolbox that helps brands build differentiation and competitive advantage, and encouraging winners to actively use the logo to maximise impact.
Full list of 2026 category winners
|
CATEGORY |
PRODUCT |
BRAND/MANUFACTURER |
|
Adult Health |
Bioplus Energy Gummies |
Adcock Ingram |
|
Baby Diapers |
Cuddlesome Nappies |
Cuddlesome |
|
Baby Food Pouches |
Clicks Made 4 Baby Puree |
Clicks |
|
Baby Pants |
Clicks Made For Baby Pants |
Lil Masters |
|
Baby Wipes |
Clicks Expert Gentle Care Baby Wipes |
Clicks |
|
Banking – Virtual Cards |
Standard Bank Virtual Card |
Standard Bank |
|
Banking – Youth Accounts Under 16s |
Standard Bank Youth Account For Under 16s |
Standard Bank |
|
Beauty – Body Scrub |
Sorbet Watermelon Summer Crush Foaming Salt Scrub |
Sorbet |
|
Beauty – Eyebrow Razor |
Schick Intuition Touch Up Tool |
AMKA |
|
Beauty – Skin Care |
LEANDS Advanced 2.0 Skin Firming Oil |
LEANDS |
|
Body Hygiene |
Sorbet Watermelon Summer Crush Foam Wash |
Sorbet |
|
Body Soap |
Clicks Hydrate Purifying Glycerine Soap |
Clicks |
|
Cakes |
Chateau Gateaux |
Chateau Gateaux |
|
Chewing Gum |
Marvellous Sugar-Free Chewing Gum Spearmint |
Marvellous |
|
Curry Powder |
Rajah Curry Powders |
Rajah |
|
Face Make Up |
Smudge Smooth Pore Minimising Primer |
Smudge |
|
Food Spices |
Robertsons Braai & Grill / Chicken Spice / Steak & Chops |
Robertsons |
|
Frozen Pizza |
Dr Oetker Ital Pizza |
Dr Oetker |
|
Fruit Juice |
Rhodes Limited Edition 100% Fruit Juice Blend |
Rhodes |
|
Funeral Planning |
Standard Bank Flexible Funeral Plan |
Standard Bank |
|
General Wipes |
Clicks Xtreme Power Fabric Stain Removal Wipes |
Clicks |
|
Hairspray |
Sorbet Hairbar Forever After Heat Defense Blow Dry Spray |
Sorbet |
|
Health Bars |
Deli Gourmet Snacks Muesli Bar Dipped in Milk Chocolate & Cranberry & Raisin |
Deli Gourmet Snacks |
|
Health Snacks |
Clicks Smartbites Rice Pops Cream Cheese & Chives Flavoured |
Clicks |
|
Heel Repair |
Sorbet Salon-Pro Urea Heel Repair Mousse |
Sorbet |
|
Household Cleaners |
Blixem Foamer All-Purpose Cleaner |
Blixem |
|
Junior Breakfast |
Clicks Made 4 Tots Cereal Original Maize |
Clicks |
|
Junior Snacks |
Clicks Made 4 Tots Corn Puffs Cheese |
Clicks |
|
Kitchen Cleaners |
Blixem Kitchen Cleaners & Degreaser |
Blixem |
|
Lawn Fertilizer |
Wonder Lawn & Leaf 7:1:3 |
Wonder / Agro-Serve |
|
Lip Balm |
Sorbet Hydrating Lip Balm Watermelon |
Sorbet |
|
Nicotine Pouches |
VELO Breezy Mango |
BAT |
|
Pool Chemicals |
Trident |
BLU52 |
|
Ready-to-drink Smoothies |
Henties Strawberry Delight Smoothie |
Henties |
|
Stock Cubes |
Knorrox Stock Cubes |
Knorrox |
|
Stock Powder |
Knorrox Stock Powders |
Knorrox |
|
Sweet Treats |
D’Licious Bakery Wafer Sticks Tiramisu Flavoured |
D’Licious Bakery |
|
Vapes |
Vuse Pro One |
BAT |
|
Water Storage Tanks |
Jojo 1,000 Litre Slimline Storage Tank |
Jojo |
|
Women’s Health |
Optihealth Women’s Probiotic 10 Billion CFUs Vegi Capsules |
Optihealth |
For brands, earning the Product of the Year title isn’t just a badge of honour. It is a proven accelerator of trust, visibility and consumer engagement, backed by the votes of real shoppers. For consumers, it’s a shortcut to quality and innovation in a cluttered market. As the 2026 winners celebrate their achievement, the Product of the Year seal continues to signal one thing clearly: this is a product South Africans believe in.
Entries for the 2027 Product of the Year Awards will be accepted from September 2026.
For more information about the programme visit www.productoftheyear.co.za.
Submitted on behalf of
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