Hovis Soft White 800g loaf has undergone a packaging update to highlight its 2017 Product of the Year win within the bakery category.

The accolade - based on a survey of more than 11,500 consumers by TNS - was awarded to the brand following recipe improvements across the Hovis Soft White 800g range to improve the taste and freshness of the loaves.

Hannah Vose, Senior Brand Manager at Hovis, comments: “It was consumer feedback that drove the reformulation in the first instance – they told us what quality meant for them, so we responded with a £3.2m investment last year that focused on improving the great tasting freshness and softness.

“The results have been phenomenal, not only represented by winning this prestigious award but also with our Hovis Soft White 800g loaf experiencing a significant 29% uplift in sales (Nielsen Epos data, Total Coverage, Unit Sales, PP Large Soft White Hovis for 12 w/e 31st Dec 2016 vs 12we 26th Mar 2016.) and becoming the fastest selling range in the bread market (Nielsen, Total Coverage, PP Large Soft White Hovis, 12we 31st Dec 2016). These results are testament to how important quality now is to our shoppers.”