It’s the final issue of the year. And it’s a cracker! Our Top Products Survey report offers a comprehensive and fascinating read of category and individual brand performance in 126 categories.
The headline has to be the healthy switches consumers have made, with vape sales falling dramatically, while the biggest category volume increase was seen in smoking cessation devices. And whatever the FSA/government says about the safety of nitrites, bacon and ham sales are down too, as are certain ultra-processed foods like meat-free. Meanwhile sales of bottled water and fruit have soared after the hottest year on record.
However, the heatwave was not enough to boost lager sales and while lower Gen Z consumption played a part, the survey also lays bare the impact of inflation. Shoppers have voted with their feet, but also their hands, picking out value, but putting items down – even ones they love – if they consider the price exorbitant. Money is tight, and shoppers are saving money by eating out less. But the decline in volume sales in categories that have seen the biggest price hikes – such as dairy, chocolate, biscuits and beef – shows there are limits to price elasticity. It’s clear the shopper’s patience has snapped.
Even in this challenging market, however, there’s been some stunning innovation, so we’ve singled out our favourites, including Walkers, This, Little Dish, Field Doctor and Hilltop Honey.
The other big feature this year has been reformulation, particularly in response to the soaring price of cocoa.. The latest skus to use new-fangled ‘chocolate-style coatings’ are Nestle’s Toffee Crisp and Blue Riband. As with price hikes, recipe changes are not undertaken lightly. And the soaring cost but also scarcity of cocoa suggests we might need a rethink when it comes to chocolate.
We’ve also conducted exclusive research to select the 50 Top Campaigns of the Year (p28-p47) and considered how creatives might raise their game when new HFSS restrictions come into force (p28). And we’ve analysed the Committee of Advertising Practice guidelines – now they’ve finally been published.
Finally keep an eye out for our Review of the Year. Every day this month we’re wrapping up the year with a review of the most memorable stories to splash across our pages. From PR blunders, to marketing stunt, from comebacks and exists to scandals and spats, stay tuned throughout December as we break down the best (and worst) stories of the last 12 months.
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