Once again PENNY wins the Retail Award of Excellence in 2023

In the current economic climate, retail chains can continue to be the most active in helping the market entry of Hungarian products, and in promoting and selling products bearing the Hungarian Product trademark. In 2018 Trade magazin and Hungarian Product Nonprofit Kft. founded the Retail Award of Excellence for Hungarian Products to honour the efforts of retailers in this field.

Trademark users decided using a points system 

The award is actually trademark users “expressing their opinion”, as it is them who give their opinion on the different retail chains based on their own experiences, scoring various objective criteria. Their votes are supplemented by the votes of a professional panel of users. In addition to the professional presentation of each chain, the following important criteria were taken into account when evaluating: What was the turnover of Hungarian Product trademarked products in the retail chain? How satisfied were trademark users with the space and opportunities provided for displaying the trademarked products in the retail chain? How successful were the promotion campaigns for the trademark bearing products?

For the first time in the 6-year history of the award, the same retail chain has been awarded the Retail Award of Excellence as in the previous year. Eszter Kazatsay head of communication of PENNY and Géza Vincze, director of purchasing of PENNY received the award from state secretary Dr Márton Pál Nobilis. The silver medal went to SPAR Magyarország Kereskedelmi Kft., and the bronze medal winner was AUCHAN Magyarország Kft. METRO Kereskedelmi Kft. went home with the special award. The working committee coordinating the award programme decided to give the special award to METRO for its intensive support in the promotion of trademarked products in 2022, through its extensive use of communication platforms.

SPAR won the Customer Choice Award of Excellence based on customer feedback

As customer feedback is also very important, a mini-survey has been conducted on the Hungarian Product loyalty website (www.magyaranyero.hu), asking customers what they think about the trademarked products. No less than 7,000 people gave their feedback on their buying habits for products with the Hungarian Product trademark. Nearly a quarter of the respondents named the SPAR chain as the easiest place to find their favourite Hungarian Product trademarked products, so for the first time in the history of the Retail Award of Excellence, SPAR won the Customer Choice Award of Excellence, which was accepted by president-CEO Gabriella Heiszler. The survey has also revealed that 70% shop in the stores of the Big Five – ALDI, LIDL, PENNY, SPAR and TESCO. It is also good news that most customers follow the Hungarian Product promotions in supermarket chains, and 55% of respondents would like to participate in more such competitions.  

About 5,500 products from 240 Hungarian companies already bear the Hungarian Product trademark

The awards were presented to the representatives of the winning retailers at biggest event of the sector, Trade magazin’s Business Days conference.

“It is no coincidence that the main message of this year’s Business Days conference was about joining forces, and the challenges of navigating weather-exposed, rough waters. These are really fitting images, given the challenging conditions that our economy, including the FMCG sector, has been facing for years. We must steer our imaginary ship with determination and confidence, together, and in the same direction”,

said Eszter Benedek, managing director of Hungarian Product Nonprofit Kft.

The managing director underlined that nearly 240 Hungarian companies already use one of the trademarks of the Hungarian Product trademark community, on approximately 5,500 products. The organisation’s goal remains the same: to raise awareness of Hungarian products. One of the best ways to do this continues to be collective marketing, where campaigns can make trademark users even more successful.

“One of our top projects is the Hungarian Product Month campaign, which was launched 3 years ago, and has once again produced superb results this August. Our campaign with the slogan “Hungarian gives you more ” rolled out simultaneously on the online and social media platforms of 15 domestic chains, on the shop floors, and in the in-store promotional leaflets”,

added Eszter Benedek.

Our government is proud of those who promote Hungarian products

In his speech state secretary Dr Márton Pál Nobilis stressed: 

“The state attaches great importance to the support and promotion of Hungarian products. Working towards this goal, we have launched various measures and programmes to help domestic businesses and producers succeed in retail trade. These awards are recognition of the diligence and commitment of retail chains, and send the message that the Hungarian government is proud of those who work to promote domestic products and services. We would also like to thank Hungarian Product Nonprofit Kft. and Trade magazine for starting the award programme and for their work”.

Zsuzsanna Hermann, CEO and editor-in-chief of Trade magazine told:

“We are proud to be part of the collaborative work that goes into this co-founded award. Every day we see our partners worry and struggle in the current uncertain and challenging economic times, and we do our best to help them. This is why we have partnered with Hungarian Product Nonprofit Kft. in so many programmes, and especially in the Retail and now also in the Customer Choice Award of Excellence. Congratulations to all the winners and best wishes for continued success to both the manufacturers of Hungarian Product trademarked products and their retailer partners. We thank the minister for his support from the very beginning, as well as the state secretary for his participation in the award ceremony this year”.