Top 150 FMCG UK Co's ranked by Review Impact - October 2025

Every few months, CheckoutSmart analyses how the biggest FMCG manufacturers in the UK are performing when it comes to their online reputation in supermarkets.

Our latest cut of the Top 150 FMCG companies for October 2025 reveals which portfolios are leading the way in shopper trust and which have let too many SKUs slip out of standard since May.

At the heart of this ranking is one simple measure: the percentage of SKUs needing new reviews. The lower that number, the stronger your shopper reputation.

The "To Standard" methodology in one minute:

Our benchmark hasn’t changed since May. To be To Standard, every SKU must meet three key rules:

• At least 30 reviews per SKU per retailer
• Top 3 reviews are fresh, none older than six months
• Top 3 reviews are fair, within 1.5 stars of the retailer's average

These factors directly drive conversion daily for clients. Brands that keep them running in our Always On programme see sustained uplift in performance and ROI.

The medal winners and Top 10

The May to October rankings show that consistency pays off. Based on the share of SKUs needing new reviews, here’s who’s leading the field and how they’ve moved since May:

1. Müller Dairy - no change 

2. Lactalis McLelland  - no change

3. Flora Food Group - up 2

4. Mutti - up 2

5. Carlsberg - no change

6. Mars Food down 3

7. Tropicana - up 7

8. Arla Foods - no change

9. Essity - up 13

10. Picard - up 4

These brands prove that a disciplined, proactive approach to review management translates into tangible reputation gains.

Biggest risers

Several brands made big gains since May, cutting the share of SKUs needing attention and leaping up the table.

• INEOS OTC Medicines surged 55 places to rank 51, cutting the share of SKUs needing reviews by six points

• Procordia Food climbed 43 places to rank 15

• Heineken jumped 42 places, improving by 5.1 points

• Picard continued its frozen category comeback, up 31 places to rank 10

• Fresh Pilgrim’s Europe and Gu also delivered notable uplifts

Each demonstrates the power of acting across clusters of products rather than isolated SKUs, proving the advantage of automation and Always On monitoring.

Biggest fallers

A number of portfolios have seen more SKUs slip out of standard since May.

• KP Snacks - down 46 places, with a 20.8 point rise in SKUs needing new reviews
• Method - down 37
• Ekaterra - down 25
• Pladis - down 24
• McCain Foods - down 19
• Accolade Wines - down 15
• Mizkan - down 33

It’s a reminder that even the biggest names lose traction quickly without fresh reviews and continuous monitoring.

Category snapshots vs May '25

Across the major FMCG categories, October’s data shows sharp contrasts between brands accelerating their review performance and those slipping out of standard.

Beer, Lager, Ale and Cider - Carlsberg held its Top 5 status and improved by 4.3 points. Heineken surged 42 places with a 5.1 point improvement, marking one of the strongest category rebounds this period. Asahi also moved up 10 places, though with a smaller 2.0 point gain, suggesting targeted rather than broad fixes across its range.

Spirits - Diageo climbed 39 places with a 4.2 point improvement, showing real progress since May. Bacardi slipped 14 places, with a 13.8 point rise in SKUs needing work, while Suntory nudged up 5 places with a 3.4 point improvement.

Dairy - Arla held steady with a 7.8 point improvement, while Danone rose 4 places with a 3.7 point lift.

Frozen - Picard’s 31 place rise and 5.4 point improvement made it one of the quarter’s standout recoveries. Procordia’s 43 place climb further highlights how much progress was made in frozen this period.

Health and Beauty - Essity rose 13 places with a 1.1 point improvement. Johnson & Johnson fell one place and worsened by 6.7 points, while Coty edged up 4.4 points, reflecting mixed performance across large portfolios.

Snacks - The picture is split. Jordans & Ryvita worsened by 6.5 points, KP Snacks saw the steepest decline, and Pladis fell 24 places with a 15.3 point rise in SKUs needing attention.

What changed since May '25 and why it matters

The October results underline a familiar truth: review freshness is a moving target. Reaching 30 reviews once is not enough. Without active management, most SKUs fall out of standard within months.

Always On programmes keep brands conversion ready every week, not just at reporting points. It is the only way to sustain visibility and credibility across multiple retailers.

How to climb the table before the next cut

• Put your Top 3 on a schedule. Track every SKU and trigger new reviews when freshness or fairness slips.

• Fix problem clusters, not single SKUs. Multi-brand portfolios move together, so tackle them together.
• Think story, not stats. Shoppers buy the emotion in the latest reviews, not the averages. Keep them current to protect conversion.

Stay Out of the Danger Zone

CheckoutSmart can share your exact October 2025 cut, showing which SKUs need attention across Tesco, Sainsbury’s, ASDA, Morrisons, Ocado and more. We’ll also build a tailored Always On plan to help your brand stay in the safe zone and outperform its category before the next ranking.