Top Breakthrough FMCG Innovations In Europe

BASES, a brand-building business operated by NielsenIQ, has released its 2022 Top Breakthrough Innovation report.

For over a decade, the list has recognised innovation and global success within the Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) market. The 18 winners among this year’s innovative brands in Europe come from Germany, the UK, Poland, France, Italy, Portugal, Norway and Austria.

The award recognises successful product launches across all strategies, ranging from those that managed to disrupt their categories and grew their brand, to targeted plays that did not intend to appeal to the mass market but were meant to delight a specific target. Additionally, the new report recognises winners that transformed their categories by offering innovative benefits before they were mainstream, as well as new brands in the marketplace.

In the face of inflationary pressures, looming economic crisis, supply chain disruptions and increasing energy and commodities prices, many brands have held back on innovation, often refocusing on their existing portfolio. Indeed, recent NielsenIQ data shows a decline in the number of innovations over the past years – from nearly 54,000 innovations in 2019 to 38,000 in 2021 in Germany, France, Spain, Italy and the UK. A downward trend that is continuing in 2022.

“The BASES Top Breakthrough Innovation Awards prove that new product developments remain a viable growth strategy for manufacturers, particularly as consumers still show a strong appetite for relevant innovations,” said Celine Grena, NielsenIQ BASES Europe Leader.

“Our latest data show that only a fraction – 6% – of global shoppers are averse to new products right now. 94% of FMCG consumers today are open to try new things. A trend from which not only big players could benefit from but also small and medium-sized brands.”

She added: “4Bro from Germany or Little Moons from the UK are great examples of smaller brands who have innovated successfully. They have been able to break through the clutter of the marketplace by understanding how to resonate with their buyers, how to appeal to their unique needs, activate with high ROI marketing, and make meaningful connections with their consumers. You definitely can win big when you are small.”

The 2022 NielsenIQ Breakthrough Innovation Winners In Europe

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NielsenIQ noted that the recipe for successful innovation hasn’t changed, but agility is key.

Grena commented: “The experience of pandemic years did generally not change the recipe for success. You will still need a good idea, a good product and a good activation strategy in order to succeed. However, the way of stirring the ingredients together has evolved. To create a good innovation brands need to be relevant to their consumers, making it easy for them to understand what the product is about and why they need it. They have to ensure their innovation is being perceived as genuine and authentic.”

She concluded: “Lastly, they should be creative in their marketing strategy and bold in experimenting. And while the new product needs to be supported by a long-term marketing strategy, crises like the Covid pandemic have clearly shown that it´s key to be flexible and agile – as our winners this year have proven.”

For more information about this year’s Breakthrough Innovations winners and to learn from their successes, visit the Breakthrough Innovation website.