Survey: Canadian consumers have healthy attitude towards new products Product of the Year Ltd.

According to a recent survey, three of the top five most important considerations for Canadians when purchasing new products are health-related. Consumers say they’re looking for new products that are more nutritious, have simple/natural ingredients, and improve health. These considerations rank higher than new products that save time or make life easier.

The Consumer Survey of Product Innovation was conducted last December by global research giant TNS on behalf of Product of the Year, a consumer-driven award that recognizes new product innovation worldwide. A representative sample of over 12,000 consumers across Canada voted on products based on innovative design, function or packaging. As part of the survey, respondents also weighed in on purchasing behavior, attitudes towards innovation, and new product preferences.

Among the survey findings:

• Canadian consumers are Innovators. Eighty-six per cent of Canadian consumers indicate they like to try new products, with 93 per cent recommending new products to others if they like them.

• Canadian consumers like home-grown. Nearly one-third of Canadian consumers confirm that having a product made, grown, or produced in Canada plays an important role in their purchase decision.

• Canadian consumers listen to others and their mothers. Recommendations from other consumers positively impact purchase intent among close to half the population. Fifty-one per cent of Canadians indicate they like to seek out opinions from others before trying a new product, and approximately one third of Canadians say that recommendations from a friend or family member influence their purchase decisions.

• Canadian consumers are label-conscious. Seventy-three per cent of consumers indicate that the package information with the most positive impact on their decision to purchase is the nutritional information and/or list of ingredients.

• Canadian consumers want best bang for buck. Value for money is the most important consideration when purchasing a new product. Conversely, 70 per cent of Canadians say they’d be prepared to pay more for a new product if they were satisfied with it.

For more information on the survey and a list of this year’s Product of the Year Canada winners, visit productoftheyear.ca.