PRODUCT OF THE YEAR USA UNVEILS 2026 AWARD WINNERS

The Largest Consumer Survey of Product Innovation Reveals Winners in 41 Categories

NEW YORK, Feb. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Product of the Year USA, the nation's largest consumer-voted awards program dedicated to recognizing product innovation, has announced the winners of the 2026 Product of the Year Awards. Spanning 41 diverse categories, these winning products were selected based on the opinions of 40,000 American shoppers through an independent national study conducted by Kantar, a leading global research firm.

Recognized as an established seal of approval, Product of the Year has been operating for nearly 20 years in the United States and 40 years globally, supporting shoppers as a trusted guide to standout new products on the market, both online and in-store. As consumers continue to place emphasis on value and intentional purchasing, the iconic red seal highlights products that excel in areas such as innovation, quality, functionality, and design.  With the help and opinions from 40,000 consumers, the award seal not only guides shoppers toward top-performing, trend-forward products but also provides brands with a meaningful opportunity to strengthen credibility, enhance visibility, and differentiate themselves within competitive categories.

"The 2026 Product of the Year winners highlight the next wave of product innovation and the brands setting the pace for what consumers want now," said Mike Nolan, Global CEO of Product of the Year Management. "With shoppers more discerning than ever, and new products coming at them from every direction, the Product of the Year seal cuts through the noise—building trust, driving confidence, and helping brands win at shelf and online."

From food and beverage, household products, personal care, pet care and more, the 41 winners of the 2026 Product of the Year Award include:

• Baby Carrier | Tushbaby 2-in-1 Combo Carrier
• Bathroom Cleaning | Scrubbing Bubbles Easy Clean
• Bathroom Tissue | Charmin Forever Roll
• Brain Health Supplement | Neuriva Memory 3D
• Breakfast | Eggo Protein Waffles and Pancakes
• Cheese | Organic Valley® American Cheese Blocks
• Children's Health | Mucinex Children's Mighty Chews Cold & Flu
• Dog Treat | Chewsday Dental Chews
• Energy Supplement | Mojo® Energy Pouches
• Frozen Dessert | Kinder Frozen Dessert
• Frozen Entree | Butterball Cook from Frozen Premium Whole Turkey
• Granola | ALDI-Exclusive Simply Nature Granola Bites
• Hand Soap | Dial Antibacterial + Hydrating Liquid Hand Soap, Shea Butter
• Health & Wellness | ALDI-Exclusive Elevation Ultra Filtered Milkshakes
• Healthy Beverage | Clearly Canadian Originals
• Home Cleaning | LYSOL® Brand New Day
• Home Decor | 2026 WoodWick Renovation
• Home Fragrance | Yankee Candle Large Original Jar
• Hydration | Jumex Hydrolit +Advance
• Itch Relief | Cortizone-10 Bug Bite Relief Stick
• Joint Health | Proactive Support from the Makers of TYLENOL®
• Kitchen Essentials | Reynolds Kitchens Parchment Cooking Bags
• Laundry | Tide Original Liquid Detergent
• Laundry Fertilizer | Spectracide® Lawn Fertilizer
• Meal Ingredient | Knorr Flavor Bases
• Menopause Support | E.P.T. Menopause Test
• Oral Rinse | TheraBreath Oral Rinse
• Outdoor Mosquito Repellent | OFF!® Area Repellent
• Period Underwear | hanky panky+ [powered by Saalt] Original Rise Thong
• Personal Care Kit | Bikini Zone Flow Shaving System
• Pest Control | Zevo Compact Flying Insect Trap
• Plant Based | Organic Valley® Oat Beverage
• Protein Snack | Tyson® Chicken Cups
• Rice | Ben's Original™ Single-Serve Rice Cups
• Smokeless Tobacco | FRE Lush 15mg Mega Pack
• Spreadable Cheese | Rondelé by Président
• Toothpaste | TheraBreath Toothpaste
• Topical Pain Relief | TYLENOL® PRECISE® Nighttime Pain Relieving Cream
• Weed Killer | Spruce Weed & Grass Killer
• Wine | ALDI-Exclusive Elliott Cooper Chardonnay
• Zero Sugar Beverage | Clearly Canadian Zero Sugar

On February 19^th, the complete list of 41 2026 Product of the Year Awards winners was revealed at the annual Product of the Year Awards Event held at Tribeca Rooftop + 360° in New York City. The celebration packed in a night full of entertainment, with Saturday Night Live alums, Rachel Dratch and Alex Moffat hosting the show and surprise performance from Broadway actress, Carrie St. Louis.

Alongside the winner announcement, the 2026 Product of the Year winners are currently highlighted in a shoppable feature on PEOPLE Online created in partnership with People Inc. – the nation's leading digital and print publisher. Additionally, Ensemble IQ, a trusted authority in business intelligence, has highlighted the 2026 winners across its publications including Path To Purchase, Progressive Grocer, Store Brands, Drug Store News and Convenience Store News, ensuring industry-wide recognition for the most innovative products of the year in their respective categories.

For a chance to win a selection of the 2026 winning products valued at over $400, visit productoftheyearusa.com/sweepstakes/.          

About Product of the Year:

Product of the Year is the largest consumer-voted award for product innovation. Established nearly 40 years ago, POY currently operates in over 40 countries with the same purpose: Guide consumers to the best products in their market and reward manufacturers for quality and innovation. Product of the Year winners are backed by the votes of 40,000 consumers in a nationally representative study conducted by research partner Kantar, a global leader in consumer research.  The award is a powerful merchandising program for marketers proven to increase product sales, distribution, and awareness.  Winning products are announced in February each year and receive the right to use the Product of the Year logo in marketing communications for two years.  For more information, visit productoftheyearusa.com.

About Kantar:
Kantar is the world's leading marketing data, insight and consultancy company. We know more about how people live, feel, shop, vote, watch and post worldwide than any other company. Working across the entire sales and marketing lifecycle, we help brands uncover growth in an extraordinary world. Kantar services over half of the Fortune 500 companies in 100 countries.

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SOURCE Product of the Year