Coca-Cola, Philadelphia, Nutella Among Top FMCG Brands In Western Europe: NIQ

NIQ Brand Traction Score is a new metric that measures how effectively brands convert their shelf presence into actual consumer purchases, the consumer intelligence company noted.

It combines insights from NIQ’s Consumer Panel, which tracks how frequently shoppers buy a brand, and its Retail Measurement data, which captures how widely and deeply that brand is distributed across stores.

Analysis revealed that within Western Europe – which includes the UK, Germany, France, Spain and Italy – Coca-Cola saw the highest traction, with a score of 487.

It was followed by cream cheese brand Philadelphia (458), and Nutella (426) taking third place.

Indulgent brands led the top 15 list, followed by dairy, with both categories benefiting from broad product portfolios, versatile usage occasions, and shorter purchase cycles.

As well as established international brands, the top 15 rankings also included strong local players and category specialists.

Other Findings

Out of 446 European brands (49%) that managed to grow significantly in unit sales (+5% or more), 81% managed to win over both shoppers and retailers, boosting their appeal on both sides of the shelf, NIQ noted.

Moreover, 60% of these brands strengthened their brand traction, with new additional listings translating into proportionately more frequent purchases by more shoppers.

Analysis of all seven FMCG sectors revealed that brands achieving the strongest unit sales growth were those seeing the greatest increases in brand traction.

While distribution remains crucial for growth, the finding highlights that the success of brands ultimately depends on prioritising the right products (new or existing) that can more effectively convert shelf presence into sales.

Emilie Darolles, president of Western Europe at NIQ, said, “The Brand Traction Score is a powerful new metric that reveals how effectively brands turn shelf presence into real purchases.

“We’ve seen brands that didn’t expand their physical availability still grow sales by strengthening their brand traction, proving that growth isn’t just about gaining new buyers – it’s about converting them more often.”

Top 15 FMCG Brands

Here is the full list of the top 15 FMCG brands according to NIQ’s Brand Traction Score:

1. Coca-Cola (487)
   2. Philadelphia (458)
   3. Nutella (426)
   4. Galbani (403)
   5. Babybel (379)
   6. Pepsi (339)
   7. Pringles (339)
   8. Danone (328)
   9. Leerdammer (295)
   10. Knoppers (294)
   11. ACE (294)
   12. Kinder (288)
   13. TUC (284)
   14. Lay’s (283)
   15. Don Simón (266)