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NEW YORK, Jan. 30, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Better Homes and Gardens, along with leading market research firm BrandSpark International, today announced the winners of the 2012 Better Homes and Gardens Best New Product Awards (BNPAs).  As the leading consumer-voted awards program in North America, the Best New Product Awards honor consumer packaged products in the categories of health and beauty, food and beverage, and household care. 

The 2012 Best New Product Awards Overall Category Winners are:

• Best Overall Product and Best in Household Care:
  Mr. Clean Magic Eraser Bath Scrubber with Febreze
• Best in Health and Beauty:
  Johnson's Natural Kids 3-in-1 Shampoo, Conditioner & Body Wash
• Best in Food & Beverage:
  Sargento Natural Blends Cheddar-Mozzarella Cheese Snacks

"Now in its fourth year in the U.S. and ninth year in Canada, the Best New Product Awards provide American shoppers with one of the most credible endorsements in America to help them buy better – 100 percent consumer voted and endorsed by one of the most trusted brands in America, Better Homes and Gardens," said Robert Levy, President and CEO of BrandSpark International and Founder of the BNPA. "The Better Homes and Gardens Best New Product Awards are like 'The People's Choice Awards' for consumer products.  The 2012 edition involved more than 66,000 consumers across the survey."

The winning products were chosen directly by thousands of consumers who participated in an extensive nationwide survey, the American Shopper Study, conducted by independent marketing research firm BrandSpark International in partnership with Better Homes and Gardens magazine.  "It's a major accomplishment for a product to win a Better Homes and Gardens Best New Product Award.  The 2012 survey had 225 products representing 60 consumer packaged goods companies in 67 categories," said James Carr, President, Better Homes and Gardens. Better Homes and Gardens will showcase the winners and shopper insights within its print, broadcast and digital properties.

"Better Homes and Gardens is about home and the life you create there," said Carr.  "We provide ideas and inspiration to our nearly 40 million readers and give them the confidence to go from dreaming to doing.  We know home is where life happens and everything we do is to help make life easier and more enjoyable for our brand loyalists."  

In addition to the winning products, the BrandSpark International/ Better Homes and Gardens American Shopper Study uncovers what is on the minds of American shoppers from coast to coast providing Better Homes and Gardens and marketers with valuable insights.  Some highlights from this year's survey are*:

FOOD and HEALTH:

• A whopping five in 10 Americans consider themselves to be overweight. The same proportion is trying to reduce carbs in their diet, while seven in 10 are trying to reduce the amount of fat they consume.
• While 86 percent continue to believe there is a lot they can do with food and nutrition to prevent illness, 65 percent of Americans say they are trying to reduce the risk of major health issues with their food choices (up from 62 percent a year ago).
• Seven in 10 adults are increasingly concerned about chemicals in their food, but only three in 10 are willing to pay more for organics. Many are looking for "natural" products, with six in 10 trying to buy products that are "as natural as possible."

BEAUTY:

• Only 25 percent of American shoppers have been under the care of a dermatologist in the past five years, but five in 10 feel they have sensitive skin and look for appropriate products. The ingredients shoppers avoid most in their skin care products are: ammonia, peroxides and alcohol.
• Other important considerations for shoppers include: safety, ease of use and trust in the brand.
• Trust in the product is crucial and can be established by: dermatologists' recommendations, brand name equity and consumer research that backs up any product claims.  It is extremely or very important to 81 percent of shoppers that their beauty/grooming products are from a trusted brand, while 69 percent consider it extremely/very important that they have been tested by dermatologists. Meanwhile, consumer research is trusted by 70-80 percent of shoppers depending on the medium.

PRIVATE LABEL / STORE BRANDS VS. BRAND NAMES:

• More than nine in 10 shoppers have purchased private label products in the past year.
• Private label strength has grown the most in over-the-counter health: seven in 10 shoppers have purchased private label health products, up from just under six in 10 in the past year, making it the strongest category for private label brands outside of food.
• Beverage brands are strong: while nine in 10 shoppers have purchased private label food products, less than half of shoppers recall purchasing private label beverages.
• 63 percent believe that the same manufacturers as brand name products often make private label products, but shoppers still see value in the most trusted brands and 70 percent prefer to find brand name products on sale than to purchase private label.

ENVIRONMENT

• While only four in 10 shoppers are willing to pay more for environmentally friendly products, more than eight in 10 appreciate when the manufacturer bears the burden of producing environmentally friendly packaging.

For more information about the Better Homes and Gardens Best New Product Awards winners, visit: www.bhg.com/bestnewproductawards.

About Better Homes and Gardens
Reaching nearly 40 million readers every month, the Better Homes and Gardens brand extends across the web, tablet, mobile, broadcast, broadband and numerous licensed products, serving and connecting women who are passionate about their homes and the lives they create there.  Better Homes and Gardens inspires women to dream and gives them the confidence to move from dreaming to doing.  For more information, visit www.bhg.com

About BrandSpark International
BrandSpark International is an independent market research and brand strategy firm with a strong grasp on North American consumer segmentation, innovation, new product research and consumer trends.   For more information please visit, www.BrandSpark.com.

About The Survey
BrandSpark conducted the survey among 66,000 American consumers ages 18+ from November 4 to December 23, 2011. The data was sample balanced to reflect the MRI principal grocery shopper profile and has an average overall margin of error of +/-2 percent at the 90 percent confidence level.

*Please credit all findings to "BrandSpark International / Better Homes and Gardens American Shopper Study"

Best New Product Awards 2012: LIST OF WINNERS BY CATEGORY

(1) category winner
(2) overall winner

SOURCE Better Homes and Gardens