Between 2023 and 2024, Euromonitor’s Passport Innovation system tracked over 97,000 new product launches across key FMCG categories using its AI-powered e-commerce monitoring platform. These launches came with a variety of attributes – from “sugar-free” and “vegan” to “eco-packaged” and “pre-biotic.” In total, thousands of different attributes were featured, reflecting what companies believe will resonate with consumers.
With such a crowded field of innovations, the question is: which attributes are not only appearing more frequently but also sticking around? Tracking both the number of launches and the staying power of products using specific attributes reveals which trends are resonating with consumers and driving sustained success, rather than short-lived hype.
Pre-biotics Fuelling Innovation Across Product Categories
An effective way to evaluate innovation trends is tracking which attributes are being used to differentiate new launches across categories. Attributes act as signals – about health, sustainability or innovation. When an attribute begins to appear across multiple categories, it is often a sign that it is shifting from niche to mainstream.
An example is pre-biotics – a type of non-digestible fibre that supports beneficial gut bacteria. As interest in the microbiome grows, brands are increasingly using pre-biotics to signal broader functional benefits tied to immunity, skin health and vitality. The buzz around Poppi, the pre-biotic soda brand recently acquired by PepsiCo, has further pushed the term into the wellness spotlight. While Poppi may have started the conversation, the broader story lies in how pre-biotics are becoming a cross-category marker of innovation.
While carbonated drinks have garnered media attention, it is not the carbonates category that is seeing the most pre-biotic product launches. Euromonitor’s Innovation Attributes Tracker shows stronger launch activity in vitamins and dietary supplements (VDS), pet food, and moisturisers and treatments. In VDS, pre-biotics are often a baseline addition, but in categories like pet care and skin care, the attribute is being used strategically to enhance a product’s positioning and competitive edge.
In moisturisers and treatments, pre-biotics are promoted as microbiome-friendly, supporting the skin’s natural barrier. As consumers become more educated on the link between gut and skin health, these claims can add a layer of scientific credibility to skin care. For instance, Dove’s Pre-biotic + Protection Cream Serum, launched in late 2024, highlights support for the skin’s “natural defenses” – tapping into rising interest in wellness-driven beauty.
In pet care, the growth in pre-biotic launches reflects the evolving trend of treating pets like family. With sensitivities and digestive issues on the rise, pet owners are seeking premium products that mirror their own health goals. Pre-biotic-enriched foods now emphasise digestion, immunity and vitality. One example is Tilly & Ted, a new UK pet food brand launched exclusively through Asda in 2024. Its recipes blend chicory-based pre-biotics with human-style flavour names like Lamb Kebab to appeal to health-conscious pet parents.
Staying Power Matters in Attribute-Led Innovation
While tracking the number of product launches shows which attributes are gaining traction, this is only part of the story. What truly matters is whether these products stay on the shelves. High launch counts may indicate interest, but without longevity they risk being noise rather than meaningful, sustained innovation. That is why tracking staying power – how long products remain available compared to category averages – is also important. It gives brands and retailers a clearer picture of which trends are resonating long enough to drive initial trial, brand switching and lasting impact.
For companies and retailers, this kind of insight is invaluable. It indicates the best innovation bets, and enables smarter product development and more focused investment in attributes with proven traction. By tracking staying power across industries, businesses can spot the signals of true longevity. And just as pre-biotics evolved from a niche claim to a cross-industry growth driver, tracking the next wave of emerging attributes could reveal what’s next – offering early movers a competitive edge in capturing consumer attention, spending and loyalty.
Euromonitor’s Innovation solution helps to quickly discover where new products first appear online, and which are expanding rapidly across retailers, countries and categories. Contact us here to see which new products have been gaining ground in your category.
