Third Annual Better Homes and Gardens Best New Product Award Winners Announced

NEW YORK, Jan. 24, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Better Homes and Gardens, along with leading market research firm BrandSpark International, today announced the 42 winners of the third annual Best New Product Awards (BNPA), which spotlights winning consumer products in the categories of health and beauty, food, and household care.

The 2011 Best New Product Award Overall Category Winners are:

• Best in Show and Best in Health and Beauty: Olay Professional Pro-X Intensive Firming Treatment
• Best in Food: Morey's Fish Creations
• Best in Household Care: Febreze Destination Collection Air Freshener

For a complete list of the 42 winning products, visit www.BestNewProductAwards.com. A full list of winners is attached and will also appear in the June issue of Better Homes and Gardens.

Winning products were selected as part of an extensive BrandSpark International/Better Homes and Gardens American Shopper Study, which surveyed more than 50,000 consumers about the food, household, and health and beauty products that resonate with them most. The study, which was conducted between November and December 2010, also uncovered key trends and insights about consumer cooking, eating and purchasing habits and features compelling findings in the areas of healthy eating, private label brands vs. name brands, environmental accountability and much more. Now in its third year in the U.S. and eighth year in Canada, the Best New Product Awards and companion American Shopper Study continues to provide manufacturers, marketers and consumers with a guide to what products, trends and innovations are most important to shoppers today as well as consumer confidence levels, and expected future spending habits.  

To determine the winners of the BNPA Awards, the survey included key questions about individual product appeal and intent to repurchase among shoppers who had actually purchased the product. Each product category had between three and five products from at least two different manufacturers. In order to win, the product had to have the highest combined score on product appeal and re-purchase intent among those who had previously purchased the product.

"Better Homes and Gardens is driven by the passion that our 39 million readers have for their home and the life they create there," said James Carr, Sr. Vice President and Group Publisher of Better Homes and Gardens. "This survey affords us the ability to go one step further in understanding them and their current shopping and lifestyle trends, as well as identifying the new products that are enriching their lives. We expect these findings to continue to have big impact with consumer product brands, and will help them in directly reaching today's buying consumer."

"With each passing year, we continue to dive deeper into the factors that motivate shoppers to behave the way they do," said Robert Levy, President and CEO of BrandSpark International and Founder of the Best New Product Awards. "For example: healthy living is still an important concern for Americans, as is the value that consumers receive for their dollar. We see that this desire for healthy living translates into purchases of products that are good for consumer's families and themselves."

In addition to the winning products, the study uncovers what's on the mind of the American shopper. Some highlights from this year's survey are:

IMPACT OF THE RECESSION AND EATING/COOKING AT HOME:

• 77% of consumers still believe the US economy is in a recession. Even so, the vast majority of Americans (73%) like trying new products.
• People are continuing to eat at home more than in the past, and as a result, are spending more time and money in the grocery store. 66% of Americans enjoy cooking for themselves and their families, unchanged from 2009.
• Although Americans expect to spend slightly more across most categories, they expect to cut back spending on fast food and special occasion meals.

HEALTH & ILLNESS PREVENTION:

• 84% of Americans believe that "there is a lot I can do with food and nutrition to prevent illness."
• 3 out of 4 are trying to eat healthier snacks and are paying greater attention to food labels.
• 2 out of 3 are becoming more concerned about food safety and chemicals in their food products.

FOOD ATTITUDES:

• Organics continue to be an increasing, though still niche, market. Only 1 in 3 consumers believe that organic foods are more nutritious, and less than 3 in 10 are willing to pay more for organic food products.  
• Availability and freshness are paramount for shoppers when choosing which store to shop at. Price, cleanliness and quality are second tier motivators.

ENVIRONMENTAL ACCOUNTABILITY:

• Packaging is still an important concern for consumers. 80% believe that manufacturers still have a long way to go to reduce the amount of packaging, up from 75% in 2009.
• 52% of Americans feel that it is important that a new product be better for the environment, a decrease from 63% as reported in 2008.
• 78% of Americans still feel that companies are exploiting environmentally friendly claims for marketing purposes.
• Almost 6 in 10 are consciously trying to buy foods that are local, an increase from 5 in 10 a year ago.
• Local foods benefit from perceptions of both reduced environmental impact and improved freshness.

INFORMATION SHARING:

• 7 in 10 shoppers continue to like trying new products and 8 in 10 consumers would encourage a friend or family member to purchase a product that they like.
• Conversely, 6 in 10 are likely to purchase a product that is recommended by friends or family.

About BrandSpark International

BrandSpark International is an independent market research and brand strategy firm with a strong grasp on North American consumer segmentation, innovation, new product research and consumer trends. www.BrandSpark.com

About Better Homes and Gardens

Better Homes and Gardens serves and connects women who are passionate about their homes and the lives they create there. BHG inspires her to dream and gives her the confidence to move from dreaming to doing. For more information, please visit www.bhg.com.

SOURCE Better Homes and Gardens