Companies and Brands

17 Global Brands That Lured 1 Billion Customers Each Last Year

Paul Ausick

Published: May 16, 2018 2:08 pm

Last Updated: January 11, 2020 11:32 pm

Among the heaviest advertising spenders are makers of what are known as fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) including items in five categories: food, drinks, dairy, homecare, and beauty and personal care. Of all the brands around the world, only 17 sold at least 1 billion items to consumers in 2017.

The data were released Wednesday by Kantar Worldpanel based on research from 74% of the world’s population–a total of 1 billion households in 43 countries with 75% of the world’s GDP. Kantar Worldpanel tracks more than 18,000 brands across the five categories.

The Coca-Cola Co.’s (NYSE: KO) Coca-Cola soft drink is the top-ranked brand in the world for the sixth consecutive year with consumer reach points totaling more than 5.8 billion. Here’s a list of all 17 including the consumer reach points of each. Reach points measure how many households around the world are buying a brand (penetration) and how often (consumer choice) and, Kantar Worldpanel says, provides a true representation of shopper choice.

1. Coca-Cola: 5.817 billion
2. Colgate: 3.886 billion
3. Maggi (a Swiss brand of seasonings): 2.489 billion
4. Lifebuoy: 2.375 billion
5. Lay’s: 2.073 billion
6. Pepsi: 1.971 billion
7. Nescafé: 1.955 billion
8. Indomie (Indonesian instant noodle products): 1.817 billion
9. Sunsilk/Sedal/Seda (Malaysian beauty products):1.799 billion
10. Knorr: 1.748 billion
11. Dove: 1.748 billion
12. Lux: 1.526 billion
13. Nestlé: 1.439 billion
14. Sunlight: 1.322 billion
15. Downy: 1.29 billion
16. Palmolive: 1.105 billion
17. Sprite: 1.040 billion

Amazingly, perhaps, in every FMCG category local brands enjoy a larger market share than any of these global brands. In 2016 total FMCG share for global brands was 35.8% compared to 64.2% for local brands. In 2017 the gap widened, with global brands posting share of 35.4% to 64.6% for local brands.

Read more about the brand footprint survey at Kantar Worldpanel’s website.