I read with interest your article on Irwin Lee, vice president of Procter & Gamble UK and Ireland ('On the shoulders of giants', The Grocer, 19 January, p38).

I applaud his dynamism. As he says, the importance of NPD is paramount in the UK. However, I would caution against the belief that NPD is the only route to success. Meaningful innovation can't be forced through or driven by a timeline. It is an iterative process that requires trial and error for it to be successful.

What really cheers me is his recognition that, at the heart of his ambition to reach UK net sales of £3.25bn by 2010, joint value creation with the retailer and sustainability are key. NPD is derived from a real consumer need, but shoppers have few unmet needs. This means brands must go deeper into their core values to deliver something consumers did not realise they lacked. There is also the growing concern shoppers have about the a product's value, not just in terms of its function but its carbon footprint and how brand trust is becoming more of an asset.

NPD must not become a form of speed-dating. New products to be successful must get an 'I love you' from consumers rather than just a quick 'fancy that'.

I agree that agility gives smaller rivals the upper hand, but also the freedom for creative thinking. In my experience, the larger the company is, the less creative and more ground down by bureaucracy it becomes. Recognising this and empowering creative insights to thrive will be a breath of fresh air for giants such as Procter & Gamble.