Last Friday (2/7/10) Unilever published its sustainable paper and board packaging sourcing policy as part of its commitment to double the size of the business while reducing its environmental impact. The policy outlines the company’s ambitious goal to work with its suppliers to source 75 per cent of its paper and board packaging from sustainably managed forests or from recycled material by 2015, rising to 100 per cent by 2020. The commitment makes Unilever the first global FMCG company to... ...Read more »

According to the latest research from The Nielsen Company, the profile of the Australian shopper is rapidly evolving and retailers and manufacturers in the Australian retail trade will need to develop strategies that accommodate growing ethnicity, population increases and an ageing society in order to succeed in the future. The results from Nielsen’s 2010 ShopperTrends Report – The Future of Retailing were shared with around 1,000 delegates from the FMCG, Liquor and Fresh Produce sectors... ...Read more »

Winners of the 2010 Product of the Year Awards – an annual consumer survey of product innovation in the FMCG market – have now been announced. Product of the Year is open to all FMCG products launched in Australia over the past 18 months.  Products should demonstrate innovation in one or more areas, including (but not limited to) design, function, marketing and packaging. This year’s winners in the food and Beverage categories are: Alcohol: Baileys with a hint of Coffee Chocolate... ...Read more »

Australian consumers are currently spending more or the same on groceries than last year, can be swayed by well-placed advertising and prefer to shop in larger centres for Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG), according to new research commissioned by mall media provider Eye Shop. Over 400 shoppers took part in the January survey, with respondents separated into a range of lifestyle stages: Young Person, Young Couples, Young Families, Older Families and Older Couples. A key finding of the study was... ...Read more »

The economy is starting to cast a shadow over green living’s glow. According to new consumer research from Mintel, the number of Americans who claim to almost always or regularly buy green products remains unchanged since last year, at 36% – suggesting the “green” trend has begun to stagnate. This lack of growth comes after tripling the previous year (from 12% in 2007 to 36% in 2008, according to Mintel consumer survey data). Marcia Mogelonsky, Ph. D and senior research analyst... ...Read more »

Cadbury has been named as Australia’s most authentic food brand in the second landmark Authentic Brand Index (ABI) study released by Principals and Synovate, with Microsoft coming out on top overall. The ABI is the only study to measure the authenticity of global and local brands among Australian consumers. Technology brands, like Google and Microsoft, are emerging as more powerful brands than the fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) giants that have dominated Australian marketing for decades. Microsoft... ...Read more »

Business confidence amongst Australian fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) manufacturers has taken a turn for the worse with 45 per cent suggesting business conditions have deteriorated in the past 12 months, according to the latest Nielsen research. The hit to confidence appears to have been driven by rising costs, coupled with a drop in consumer confidence. The findings were released by The Nielsen Company as part of its latest bi-annual Retail Barometer survey. The research captured responses from... ...Read more »