The map that shows how 10 mega-companies control everything you buy

GRACE KOELMA
November 18, 2013
news.com.au

THE stores and community grocers of our parents and grandparents’ generation are beginning to disappear.

Today our market is made up of a few mega players, namely the 10 giants of the Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) industry.

You may think you’re choosing one brand over another when you shop, but the reality is that these mega-companies have complete control over the market and what you purchase.
This graphic is called ‘The Illusion of Choice’. It traces the chain of smaller products to their global ‘parent’ companies. The results may surprise you.

The companies at the core of what you buy. Source: NewsComAu
[VIEW THE FULL CHART HERE]
P&G
Trying to choose between Herbal Essences and Pantene hair products? They’re both owned by Proctor and Gamble. P&G also own big name brands like Oral-B, Vicks, Duracell, Gillette, Old Spice, Head & Shoulders, Hugo Boss, Braun, Pringles, Covergirl, Olay and Clairol.

Nestlé
You probably know that Nestlé owns confectionery like Wonka, KitKat, Smarties and Aero, but you might be surprised to find that Nestlé also heads up brands like Purina and Friskies pet food, Movenpick and Drumstick ice cream, S. Pellegrino and Nespresso. They also own beauty brands like Loreal, Garnier, Vichy, Maybelline and designer brands like Ralph Lauren, Giorgio Armani, Yves Saint Laurent and Stella McCartney.

KRAFT
Some household names include Toblerone, Oreo, Kraft Singles Cheese, Crunchie, Kool-Aid, Jell-O, Ritz, Maxwell House and Cadbury chocolates.

Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola’s brands are perhaps better known, with names like Sprite, Fanta, Monster, and of course, Coca-Cola. Did you know they also own Glacéau vitamin water, Grinders coffee, Jim Beam, Mount Franklin, Deep Spring mineral water, Powerade and Nestea? SPC, Golburn Valley and IXL food brands are also in their broad portfolio.

PEPSICO
This industry giant has its fingers in some very big pies, owning popular supermarket brands like Pepsi, Doritos, Lay’s, Cheetos, 7Up, Moutain Dew, Lipton tea, Ocean Spray and Gatorade. They also own fast food outlets KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell.

General Mills
You may not have heard of this industry mega-company, but you may have seen their biggest sellers, namely Betty Crocker, Old El Paso, Green Giant, Hamburger Helper, Yoplait, Cheerios and Chex cereals.

Kellogg’s
Many shoppers know that most cereals in the cereal aisle are produced by Kellogg’s. Some well-known brands are Corn Flakes, Just Right, All-Bran, Froot Loops, Special K, Nutri Grain and Crispix.

WRIGLEY
Wrigley is owned by MARS, and owns popular chewing gums such as Extra, Juicy Fruit, Hubba Bubba, Big Red, Excel, 5 gum and Orbit. They also own Skittles, Starburst and Life Savers.

MARS
Not only do MARS own Mars Bars, Twix, Snickers, M&Ms, Milky Way, Dove, Bounty and Maltesers, they also own pet foods like Whiskas and Pedigree.

Unilever
This mega-company has a broad ownership across many sectors of the FMCG market, including household names like Cornetto, Ben & Jerry’s, Magnum, Lipton, Salada and Maille. They also produce beauty products like Dove, St Ives, Sunsilk, Tresemme, V05, Cutex and Vaseline.

Johnson & Johnson
Big brands by Johnson & Johnson include health and beauty products such as Neutrogena, Clean & Clear, Visine, Aveeno, Sudafed, Benadryl, Listerine, Carefree, Nicorette, Johnson’s baby, Band-Aid and NicoDerm.