FOOD and beverage brands continued to dominate the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) segment, according to the 2025 Brand Footprint Report of Worldpanel by Kantar.
Laurice P. Obana, shopper insight director at Worldpanel by Kantar, said at a briefing on Thursday that the “economy is driven by a large socio-economic class D. Of course the preference is for the basics, which would be food and beverages,” she said.
Ms. Obana noted that mobility has improved with daily road traffic volume and Metro Rail Transit Line 3 ridership increasing.
She said this is reflected in household expenditures involving recreation, travel, and going out.
“We are seeing a bustling economy where Filipinos are more on-the-go and exposed to many options in the market. While shoppers are purchasing FMCG goods from multiple channels, they have become more discriminating with the brands they are buying,” she said.
“Filipinos look for packaged goods that are consistently available and accessible in the right format, at the right price, and for the right consumption occasion,” she added.
In 2024, she said shoppers visited more stores and shopped more frequently, with total shopping trips hitting 10.5 billion.
These frequent visits led to an increased number of occasions when shoppers were offered a choice to buy a brand. Such occasions rose 4% to approximately 16.9 billion in 2024.
“Competition in the marketplace is just so intense. So, there are more stores to cover, more buying occasions to win, but ultimately there are now fewer brands that are being purchased,” she said.
She said it is important for brands to carry products that consistently meet both customer and shopper needs, to put out the products in various channels, and maintain visibility and availability across these channels, and to deliver the right products.
“Based on data from Worldpanel by Kantar, FMCG brands that are bought by more homes and continue to increase penetration have a higher potential to drive growth,” Ms. Obana said.
“To reach more homes, accessibility is key. Brands which have presence in five or more channels set themselves up for success with more shopper touchpoints,” she added.
The 2025 Brand Footprint Report is based on a Worldpanel metric known as consumer reach points (CRP), which combines penetration and frequency. It represents a single instance of a shopper choosing a brand.
In the report, Lucky Me came out on top for most chosen FMCG brand, with a total of 903 million CRP.
It was followed by Nescafé with 785 million CRP, Kopiko (631 million), Coca-Cola (594 million), and Silver Swan (564 million).
The other most-chosen brands are Bear Brand, Surf, Maggi, Datu Puti, and Great Taste. — Justine Irish D. Tabile
Meanwhile, Nestea topped the fastest-rising list for FMCG brands in 2024, after posting 28% growth in CRP to 69 million.
It was followed by Mama Sita’s, with CRP growth of 26% at 69 million; Coca-Cola, up 24% at 594 million; Bioderm, up 24% at 161 million; and Energen, up 17% at 61 million.
The other fastest-rising brands were Lady’s Choice, Smart, Hapee, Datu Puti, and Tang.
“The market can get quite competitive with a slew of FMCG products to choose from,” Ms. Obana said.
“While short-term activations can be done to quickly win the attention of shoppers, strong brands that are able to evolve with consumer needs and prioritize accessibility will ultimately win the shopping baskets of Filipinos,” she added. — Justine Irish D. Tabile