Annika Huhn (photo) is Product Owner of the REWE product testing platform together with her colleague Kristina Dapper

one: Mrs Huhn, how long has the product testing platform been around?
Annika Huhn : Since 2019, we in the Customer Insights & Media department have been running a platform on which REWE customers can apply for tests in which they can test products from well-known brands and own brands free of charge and then rate them. The campaigns are marketed by our team to REWE's industry partners. This generated around 1.2 million euros for REWE in 2021 alone.

one: What incentive is there to register and test products?
Annika Huhn: With their information, the testers help other customers make purchasing decisions. For our industry partners and own brands, the test in turn provides insights for high-reach and multi-level branding campaigns. We receive valuable information on how the products are received by our customers and where there may be room for improvement. The tested items can then be advertised with the 'REWE product test seal'.

one: How have consumers responded to the offer and what is being tested?
Annika Huhn: The response has been tremendous: over 300,000 registered REWE customers have carried out almost 100 tests. Both own-brand products and branded items are put to the test. In future, up to three items per week can be tested on the new platform. The spectrum ranges from food to near-food and non-food. The prerequisite is that the products are listed nationally or regionally at REWE. Incidentally, detergent pods are very popular with consumers.

one: What criteria are used to select the products? And who pays for the 'free' items?
Annika Huhn: This is done in consultation with the suppliers and private label managers. The tests are often also used to publicise new products. The industry partners bear the costs of the test products issued, for example by providing 10,000 free vouchers.

one: How do you become a product tester?
Annika Huhn: Firstly, all interested parties must create a REWE customer account and register on the platform. Testers can then optionally complete their profile to increase their chances of being selected as a tester. Testers can then apply for all product tests by answering a few individual questions. These can be very different depending on the product, for example about household composition, pets or dietary behaviour. Based on these questions and the profile, we then select suitable testers, who receive a free voucher code by email that they can use to collect the product from their REWE store.

one: Can REWE Group employees also apply?
Annika Huhn : Employees are also welcome to become product testers. The prerequisite for applying is a REWE customer account.

one: Why is an application necessary at all?
Annika Huhn : This is due to the large number of applicants. Over 16,000 REWE customers apply for some product tests. As this exceeds the number of free vouchers, we have to make a pre-selection.

one: What criteria are used to evaluate the test products?
Annika Huhn: The testers award between one and five stars for the overall rating as well as for the price/performance ratio, the likelihood of repurchase or recommendation. They can also rate individual criteria, such as the washing power of detergent pods. And many testers share their experiences on social media channels. The results are later published on the platform.

one: How many testers actually give a rating?
Annika Huhn: On average, 65 per cent of all selected testers redeem their voucher. Of these, the vast majority - over 80 per cent - subsequently post a review on the platform. And these are mostly positive. So far, all products have received more than three out of a maximum of five stars in the overall rating.

one: Why has the platform moved now?
Annika Huhn : The product testing platform got off to a very good start after its launch three years ago. As further technical development would have been too costly, we decided to completely relaunch it at produkttests.rewe.de. Customers and industry partners benefit from many new features on the new platform. Among other things, testers now have to select a pick-up market when applying. This means that tests are now also possible for products in partial listings or with regional listings.

one: Mrs Huhn, thank you very much for talking to us.