The study shows that in 2021 branded FMCG items were chosen a total of 382 billion times, up 16% compared with a decade before.

Kantar has identified 11 brands that saw the biggest growth in their respective categories. These brands accounted for 25.1 billion ( 6.6%) of purchases, up from 19.2 billion ( 5.8%) in 2012, and their growth rate was 31% over the decade, almost double the total branded market’s growth rate.

The marketing data and analytics company identified Coca-Cola as the most chosen brand in the past 10 years and Vim as the world’s fastest-growing FMCG brand, based on consumer decisions.  

Kantar’s analysis of 10 years of actual global shopping habits uncoversfound that increasing penetration - the percentage of households that choose a brand – is key to growth.

In the decade since 2012, the number of households globally has increased by 17% to 1.2 billion, as the population has risen and grown-up children have established their own households. 

Across these 11 brands, growth in penetration accounted for an average of 87% of their growth, meaning that ensuring children who go on to establish their own homes make the same shopping choices as their parents is key to long-term success.

Illustrating this point, shopper recruitment has driven Coca-Cola’s success, with the number of households buying the brand increasing 17% over the decade, in line with household growth, to 540 million.

One consistent feature across the decade is the average number of FMCG brands chosen per year, which remained consistent at 55 brands per household.

The average spend on branded groceries has increased from $730 per year in 2012 to $862 in 2021.

Since 2012, the world’s biggest brands have been consolidating their presence. In 2021, the average household purchased 3.2 of the leading brands, compared to 2.8 in 2012.

However, only two of the 50 biggest brands, Dove and Vim, have consistently grown in every year of the past decade.    

Guillaume Bacuvier, chief executive of Kantar’s Worldpanel division, said: “This global analysis of shoppers’ real behaviour over the past 10 years enables us to identify foundational truths to which our industry must adhere. Increasing household penetration rate, at least keeping up with population and household growth, is the best way to grow and the only way to consistently grow year-after-year.

“There is finite space in consumers’ basket. Securing a spot on the list of ‘go-to groceries’ – which is unique to each household – is a must. If you’re out of the list, you’re out of consumer’s choice.”

The full list of brands is available here.