Soft drinks on-trade market worth £517m, Fentimans report finds

Fentimans, the botanically brewed drinks maker has launched a data driven report with research consultancy CGA, to offer a “unique insight” into the premium soft drinks and mixers market in the UK.

The premium soft drinks and mixer category has grown 33% versus last year and is now worth £517m, accounting for 11.5% of the total category. This equates to nearly 12p of every £1 spent on soft drinks and mixers in the on-trade.

The value of soft drinks and mixers sales is growing at a much faster pace than volume, suggesting consumers are choosing higher cost options. According to the research, recorded value sales growth of 5.4% in the year to April 2019, outstripped volume growth of 1.8%.

The growth in the premium sector is being led by mixers as premium mixers sales rocketed by 81.3% to £323.1m in the 12 months to April 2019. The flavoured carbonates segment of the premium market grew by 5.6% to £47.1m, while lemonade sales were up 6.1% to £36.5m.

In addition to the current findings, the report predicted future drinks trends, suggesting Japanese ingredients and styles will become popular in response to the country hosting the 2020 Olympics and the Rugby World Cup, the increased use of fermentation in drinks, and the growing trend of using citrus alternatives like yuzu and bergamot.

Described as the most comprehensive evaluation yet, the report also combines expert opinions of influencers, taste makers and leaders within the drinks industry.

Andrew Jackson, marketing director at Fentimans, said: “Set against a backdrop of continual change and the need to imagine what the future may look like, the inaugural Fentimans market report aims to stimulate thinking and provide relevant market intelligence to help operators who work in the industry make better business decisions and contribute towards shaping their future.”