South African Consumers Name the 2026 Product of the Year Winners

South African consumers have spoken. Following one of the country's largest independent consumer product studies, Product of the Year South Africa has announced the winners of its 2026 awards, recognising products and services that have resonated with consumers through innovation, relevance and overall appeal.

The 2026 Product of the Year Awards took place on 28 May at Luxx Venue in Sandhurst, bringing together leading brands, retailers and industry stakeholders to celebrate products that have earned the trust and recognition of South African shoppers.

The winners were determined through an independent study conducted by research partner Kantar, which surveyed 2,600 nationally representative South African consumers. Products were evaluated across several key criteria, including appeal, relevance, uniqueness, satisfaction and purchase intent.

According to Edith Venter, General Manager of Product of the Year South Africa, the continued growth of the programme reflects the increasing importance consumers place on value and trust when making purchasing decisions.

“As the programme continues to grow, it is a clear indication that brands recognise the power of consumer endorsement and the impact it can have at shelf level,” says Venter. “Today's shoppers are not simply looking for the lowest price. They are looking for products that offer meaningful value, solve real problems and deliver on their promises. The Product of the Year seal helps consumers identify those products quickly and confidently.”

The awards programme has become a recognised benchmark for innovation in the consumer goods sector, providing brands with independent validation based on consumer feedback rather than industry judging panels.

Speaking at the event, Mike Nolan, Global CEO of Product of the Year, highlighted the role the programme plays in helping brands stand out in an increasingly competitive marketplace.

“Product of the Year remains one of the most effective ways for brands to communicate innovation and differentiation,” said Nolan. “The recognition carries weight because it comes directly from consumers, giving brands a powerful tool to build trust and strengthen their market position.”

For brands, the Product of the Year title represents more than industry recognition. It offers an opportunity to strengthen visibility, credibility and consumer engagement through a seal backed by the opinions of real shoppers.

For consumers, the logo serves as a trusted guide in an increasingly crowded retail environment, helping simplify purchase decisions and spotlight products that have earned the confidence of their peers.

As the 2026 winners celebrate their achievement, the Product of the Year seal continues to represent a simple but powerful message: these are products that South African consumers believe in.

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