With soft drinks now worth more than £12.5bn in retail (Nielsen), retailers should focus on stocking soft drinks in key categories such as colas, carbonates and mixers.
Retailers should also be looking to tap into the opportunities in fast-growing categories like RTD coffee and energy.
“Specifically, retailers should focus on the most popular brands within these categories – like Coca-Cola™, the no.1 soft drinks brand in retail (Nielsen), led by Coca-Cola Zero Sugar (the fastest growing major cola brand in retail by value and volume (Nielsen)), along with Fanta and Dr Pepper, the number one and number two flavoured carbonates brands in retail by value (Nielsen). Schweppes should be a must stock too considering it is sold in retail more than any other mixer brand (Nielsen),” comments Amy Burgess, Senior Trade Communications Manager at Coca-Cola Europacific Partners (CCEP).
“Retailers should also keep an eye out for the latest launches, including the newest addition to our Coca-Cola range – Coca-Cola Original Taste Lemon and Coca-Cola Zero Sugar Lemon, combining the iconic Coca-Cola taste with a zesty citrus kick.”
The ready-to-drink (RTD) chilled coffee sector has become an established part of the soft drinks category. Costa Coffee’s RTD range is up 24% in value in convenience over the past year (Nielsen). This success can be put down to the widespread popularity of the Costa Coffee brand, the nation’s favourite coffee shop for the last 14 years (Allegra).
RTD chilled coffee is incredibly diverse. Featuring Lattes, Flat Whites and Frappés, Costa’s range caters to a broad variety of different tastes and occasions, offering shoppers a choice of low, medium and high intensity caffeine options as well as different coffee flavours and levels of sweetness.
At the beginning of the year, CCEP launched PMP versions of the Costa Coffee Latte and Caramel Latte RTD ranges, offering a unique selling point exclusive to convenience retailers to help enhance their competitive edge when it comes to the RTD chilled coffee segment.
Energy drinks continue to increase in popularity, now worth £1.95bn (Nielsen) in GB and growing, thanks to the arrival of new flavours, functionality and zero sugar options.
“With innovation key to increasing sales, retailers must stock up on the latest launches that are going to capture consumers’ attention,” adds Burgess. “Monster is leading the way when it comes to innovation in energy – 60% of NPD energy drink sales over the last year have come from the Monster brand (NIQ).
In 2024 CCEP has added two new flavours to its line-up – Monster Reserve Orange Dreamsicle and Monster Juiced Bad Apple.
Despite the emergence of new innovations, traditional energy drinks still remain popular, with Monster Original remaining CCEP’s flagship offering, worth £126.6m in retail (Nielsen). This underscores the importance of maintaining a robust core product range alongside stocking new launches.
“Research shows merchandising food and drink together can double shopper engagement and increase sales by up to 32% (Connecta),” says Burgess.
“Stocking sharing packs of soft drinks alongside meals and snacks can help shoppers grab everything they need for a summer BBQ or picnic.
“Almost one-third of soft drink shoppers in convenience are on a food-to-go mission (Lumina), so displaying single cans and bottles in chillers next to sandwiches can drive incremental sales.”
Pepsi unveiled a complete rebrand in March, with exciting new pack designs for all formats rolling out across grocery, wholesale and convenience. The rebrand will create a consistent identity across the Pepsi MAX®, diet, regular and flavoured cola ranges, with new packaging visuals, in-store materials and displays.
With the goal of attracting younger shoppers, while retaining existing customers, the rebrand focuses on great taste and refreshment – reasons that align with research showing 70% of cola consumption occasions are driven by consumers who say they ‘enjoy the taste’ (Kantar).
The roll-out will be supported by a fully integrated campaign, including TV, radio, out-of-home and experiential marketing. In line with Pepsi’s Thirsty for More campaign, it will highlight Pepsi’s commitment to celebrating those who challenge conventions and want to have fun, while forging deeper connections through shared passions. The campaign underscores how the great, bold taste of Pepsi fuels these moments of enjoyment.
Ben Parker, Britvic Retail Commercial Director in Great Britain, said: “The rebrand reflects Pepsi’s challenger mindset and drive to push culture forward whilst remaining iconic and timeless, with a new logo and visual identity that borrows equity from its past and incorporates modern elements to create a look that is unapologetically current and undeniably Pepsi. The vibrant new look will grab the attention on the shelf, playing a key role in drawing younger consumers into the category. As the number one soft drink category (Nielsen IQ), worth £6 billion cola presents a major sales opportunity (Nielsen IQ), and this rebrand will help retailers maximise sales by sparking a renewed interest in the brand. Pepsi and Pepsi MAX® are well-known and loved by many, but as a brand with such a rich history, it’s vital that we work to evolve its look and feel, driving relevance for the next generation.”
The rebrand forms part of Pepsi’s vision to ensure long-term growth in the cola category. By modernising its flagship Pepsi brand with bolder, more vibrant packaging, this refresh helps retailers capitalise on sales amid evolving consumer tastes.
Furthermore, flexible and animated visual assets will allow for more seamless collaboration with retail partners. From custom point of sales displays to personalised digital campaigns, the rebrand unlocks more versatility to engage shoppers. Retailers can also easily adapt the new branding across in-store and e-commerce touchpoints to create a consistent, recognisable identity.
Following the continued success of Tango’s rotational flavour series Tango Editions, Britvic brought its latest ‘Edition’, Tango Mango, to shelves and chillers. Tango Editions combine bold tastes, liquids and pack designs to produce striking products that stand out on shelves and in chillers. Succeeding Tango’s popular Paradise Punch flavour, this latest rotation is set to meet the demand for Mango flavoured drinks, giving shoppers more sugar-free options without compromising on taste.
Tango has more than doubled in sales in the last three years (Nielsen IQ), now worth over £96m RSV, and is still in double digit growth (+24%, Nielsen IQ).
The brand’s successful rotational flavour series has seen Tango Paradise Punch become the number one flavoured fruit carbonate new product development of 2023 (Nielsen IQ), now worth over £13.6m RSV (Nielsen IQ), with the year before seeing Tango Berry Peachy crowned the number one fruit flavoured carbonate new product development of 2022 (Nielsen IQ).
What’s more, following its launch last June, Tango Apple Sugar Free is now worth £23.5m RSV (Nielsen IQ). These results demonstrate the brand’s well-placed position to grow the fruit flavoured carbonates category further with its latest flavour, particularly with mango flavoured drinks in double digit growth versus last year (+26%, Nielsen IQ).
Ben Parker commented: “Our next big flavour launch, Tango Mango, drives appeal among new and existing Tango fans, generating additional sales opportunities for retailers. We understand retailers don’t have infinite space for new products, but the Tango Editions range has already proven to drive additional sales, and the rotational change seasonally maintains excitement and engagement with the brand. In addition, Tango Mango aims to attract a broader range of shoppers including Gen Z and families, expanding sales opportunities for retailers. Innovating in the fruit flavoured carbonates category will always be important to Tango – with new and exciting sugar free flavours, which play on the brand’s bold, fun tone and personality, helping to increase consumer purchases.”
Tango Mango is the latest sugar free flavour from Britvic, with the company’s continued innovation and reformulation programmes meaning an average of just 22 calories per 250ml serve across its drinks portfolio globally. All activity is enabling the company to offer consumers healthier choices as part of its long-term Healthier People sustainability strategy.
Available for 12 months, the fruit flavoured carbonate will be available to enjoy in formats to be consumed at home or on the go, helping retailers to tap into this market and drive soft drink sales with a popular flavour. The latest edition is expected to be another success following consumer research (MMR) and features a bold, modern pack design that is sure to catch shoppers’ attention and encourage them to Get Tango’d. The flavour will be available in a variety of formats: 330ml can, 500ml bottle, 2 litre bottles, 8 can multipack and 24 can multipack. The launch of Mango Tango will be supported by social media and influencer activity to increase awareness.
Matt Gouldsmith, Channel Director, Wholesale, Suntory Beverage & Food GB&I, comments: “Shopper desire for low- and no-sugar soft drinks has shown no sign of slowing, and a key factor in the growth of the market is the ever-increasing consumer appetite for no- and low-sugar soft drinks. The diet segment continues to outperform the regular segment and currently accounts for just under 67% (Kantar) of the volume share of the total soft drinks market.”
Suntory has continued to invest in drinks that cater to shopper desire for low- and no-sugar products, and 2023 saw Lucozade Zero volume growth of 4.3% in the second half of the year (Nielsen). New launch Lucozade Sport Zero Sugar delivered £8.5M in sales within its first eight months on shelf – growing faster than the total category – and is also 55% incremental to the soft drinks category as a whole (Nielsen). Furthermore, 2023 saw the launch of Lucozade Alert Zero Sugar Mango Peachade, Lucozade Alert’s first zero sugar launch, which building off the success of the Lucozade Alert brand, sold a total of 196,000 litres in the second half of the year (Nielsen).
“Lucozade is helping to lead the soft drinks category as a trusted brand consumers know and love. A continued focus on innovation, packaging and flavour has delivered more of what we know our consumers want. Shoppers are already purchasing more Lucozade drinks per trip, with an uplift of +3.3% (Kantar),” adds Gouldsmith.
“While price and format are key to driving purchase intent within soft drinks, we know that taste remains vital. This is why we spent 18 months talking to 6,500 Lucozade Energy drinkers to get their insight on what they need and want from our drinks.”
The result of this thorough process was an updated recipe for Suntory’s biggest sellers Lucozade Energy Orange and Original flavours, with a more citrusy, orange taste for Orange and bolder taste for the unique Original flavour, both of which respond directly to feedback from consumers.
Since the flavour refresh, sales of Lucozade Energy have performed strongly. The new enhanced flavours helped the brand drive 8% (Nielsen) value and 1.1% (Nielsen) volume YOY growth. The changes also prompted 25% more shoppers to purchase the brand and over half of these (52%) were light or lapsed shoppers.
Sales of Lucozade Sport were again strong in 2023, with the brand climbing in value by 21.2% (Nielsen), continuing the strong performance displayed in the previous year.
Elsewhere, Ribena was worth £116m (Nielsen) in retail sales in 2023, with Ribena Blackcurrant 500ml ending the year as the second most valuable juice drink in the category, delivering £32m (Nielsen) in sales across the year. Ribena Light Blackcurrant 500ml was the biggest selling No-Added Sugar juice drink of the year, worth £16m (Nielsen) in sales.
The second half of the year was particularly strong across the Ribena portfolio. Penetration of Ribena Squash grew by 4.7% (Nielsen) over the last six months of 2023, and the Ribena brand saw 9% value and 7% volume growth in the last 13 weeks of 2023 (Nielsen).
Marking the biggest relaunch in Lucozade’s history, the brand has unveiled a new masterbrand platform set to supercharge sales of its drinks across the UK market. Encompassing TV advertising, social, in-store activation, consumer sampling and more, “Bring the Energy” is all about how Lucozade helps fuel people to rise to the challenge and to move with energy in the moments that matter to them.
Following the recent launch of Blucozade, this new platform continues to unite its three key drinks – Lucozade Energy, Lucozade Sport and Lucozade Alert – bringing that infectious Lucozade energy to shoppers across the nation. The unifying brand platform was developed following two years of in-depth research involving speaking to over 6,000 consumers, which found that shoppers do not separate Lucozade Energy, Lucozade Sport and Lucozade Alert, but view them all simply as ‘Lucozade’.
The campaign kicks off with the first of two new TV adverts running throughout the summer selling season. This high-energy story will be revived in a sequel rolling out later this year as part of a multimillion-pound investment in TV advertising for Bring the Energy Ribena has unveiled a brand new on-pack promotion across its full range of formats which will give shoppers the chance to win memorable family experiences every day. Ribena will be once again providing a summer of fun for families and driving sizzling sales for retailers with this new competition, live until the end of August.
With prizes up for grabs including UK holiday packages and experience vouchers – as well as an additional 1000 cash prizes to reward shoppers with some summer spending money – this competition is set to grab consumers’ attention in store and drive soft drink sales for stores.
Suntory’s biggest launch this year is not in fact just a flavour, but a colour! Lucozade has turned the market blue with the launch of three new drinks: Lucozade Sport Blue Force, Lucozade Energy Blue Burst and Lucozade Alert Blue Rush. Each of the three new drinks in the Blucozade range is uniquely flavoured. The drinks’ names give little away, and it is up to shoppers to discern the flavour of these exciting new products. The introduction of Blucozade presents a key opportunity for retailers to brand block, strategically showcasing the new drinks and creating an unmissable eye-catching display for shoppers.
Blucozade was a real milestone move as it united the three Lucozade sub-brands together for the first time, with function, flavour and format appearing side by side in a single launch. This cross-category innovation creates an exciting line up of new drinks across the Lucozade brand, adding a splash of colour to retailers’ chillers and creating real excitement for shoppers.
Jonathan Kemp, AG Barr Commercial Director, comments: “Taste remains the single most important factor in soft drinks’ purchasing.
“Retailers stocking unique and exotic flavour combinations are driving more engagement and interest in their soft drinks’ fixtures, increasing basket spend and encouraging repeat purchase. We are continuing to focus heavily on delivering exciting, refreshing flavour choices which are driving consumers to our brands in record numbers.
“Consumers want to enjoy bigger, bolder experiences and, in soft drinks, this is all about seeking more interesting, less run-of-the-mill flavours which excite the taste buds.”
In summer last year, AG Barr helped retailers tap into the incremental soft drinks’ sales peak with the launch of two limited edition flavours of IRN-BRU XTRA, Ice Cream and Tropical. These were a massive success, delivering £29 million to the category (IRI) as well as a 30% uplift in the core IRN-BRU XTRA variant (IRI).
Financial constraints continue to impact on consumer confidence and ultimately influence shopper buying patterns. For some, eating and drinking out of home is one of the first things to cut back on as consumers look to tighten their belts and this is leading to more in-home occasions.
AG Barr has launched another two new limited edition flavours for 2024 – IRN-BRU XTRA Raspberry Ripple and Wild Berry Slush – which are both available now, in a 75p PMP can for impulse retailers and plain can single and multipack for grocery.
New flavours always lead to a buzz around the fixture, so the limited-edition aspect of a new product serves to enhance shopper engagement and excitement, especially in relation to unique flavour combinations which are new to market.
“There is more choice in soft drinks than ever before. We work closely with retailers to make the shopper experience as easy, interesting and enjoyable as possible. Creating in-store theatre and excitement is an integral part of our marketing mix. Consequently, we invest heavily in a suite of vibrant, eye-catching point of sale material to create standout for our brands, driving shoppers to the fixture in the process,” adds Kemp.
“Consumers are still coming out of post pandemic behaviours and want to enjoy bigger, bolder experiences. In soft drinks, this is all about seeking more interesting, less run-of-the-mill flavours which excite the taste buds.”
Health and wellbeing are also influencing shoppers’ purchasing decisions. Demand for lower calorie products continues to increase and flavoured water is growing in popularity. Offering good quality, low calorie products which don’t compromise on flavour, taste or value, such as Rubicon Spring, enable retailers to tap into this opportunity.
“Financial constraints continue to impact on consumer confidence and are influencing big shifts in shopper buying habits,” says Kemp. “This is where larger pack formats and multipacks are playing an increasingly important role, particularly as people socialise and celebrate occasions at home more frequently.”
However, soft drinks is a resilient category where most shoppers still prefer to buy brands that they know and trust to deliver on quality, flavour and value.
Building upon the success of the brand’s ambient NFC Juice launch in 2023, having brought one third of new category shoppers alone (vs 22% category average), Tropicana, the UK’s number one and most loved juice brand has introduced two brand new refreshing ambient ranges, to Tesco stores: Tropicana Rise & Shine and Tropicana Fruit Sensation.
Tropicana will drive category value growth with ranges designed to make trading up into brand from Private Label more accessible, along with providing sophisticated and refreshing, lower sugar juice drinks that will allow the juice category to thrive outside of breakfast consumption occasions.
Sugar consumption ranks as the second highest barrier to purchase for consumers after cost, particularly among young families who are seeking more nutritious beverage choices. Addressing these concerns, Tropicana introduces the first of its two new ambient products; Rise & Shine (RRP £2), available in Tropicana’s best-selling flavours: Smooth Orange and Pressed Apple. This range contains 30% less sugar than other juices, making it the perfect healthy and refreshing start for all the family.
At a time where taste (59%) and refreshment (48%) ranks highest in consumer demands for juice Tropicana introduces the second of its two new ambient launches, Tropicana Fruit Sensation (£1.75). This range is aimed at driving category growth by opening up mid-afternoon and evening consumption occasions with sophisticated juice drinks that are hydrating, natural, and taste great.
Tropicana Fruit Sensation brings a contemporary twist to your classic juice offering with sophisticated, and elevated flavour profiles that will appeal to younger consumers and recruit the next generation to juice. Offerings include Apple Cucumber & Lemon with a hint of Elderflower, Orange & Mango with notes of Yuzu and Peach & Raspberry brought to life with a hint of vanilla.
Elizabeth Ashdown at Tropicana Brands Group, comments: “Tropicana is the UK’s Number One juice brand and combines over 75 years of fruit expertise. Until now, the ambient juice category has been highly private label driven with a lack of quality juice options for consumers. These new launches will positively expand the ambient juice category by better meeting consumer needs for more natural and healthier refreshment throughout the day and will set a new quality benchmark in juice drinks.”
A Red Bull spokesperson comments: “Innovation has been vital to the success of Energy Drinks growth this year, with particular engagement around new flavours, which has helped broaden the category’s appeal to new groups of shoppers, where taste was previously a barrier.”
As a result, the demand for Flavoured Energy Drinks has never been stronger, acting as an entry point for consumers. Selling on average +38% more units per store vs 2 years ago (Nielsen), and with 83% of Energy Drink consumers wanting to buy across a variety of flavours (Appinio), the category has been tapping into this demand with new and exciting options. Last year 71% of shoppers that were new to Energy Drinks bought a flavoured product, so a key part of the category to drive penetration (Kantar).
Aiming to replicate the success of the Blue Edition, Red Bull has even more flavour innovation planned for 2024. The first of these, launched last month, is Red Bull Summer Edition Curuba Elderflower, which offers the perfect taste blend of exotic curuba, rounded off with floral notes of elderflower to excite shoppers and drive trial.
Boasting a flavour profile described as exotic, refreshing, and floral with hints of melon, pineapple and elderflower, the new Red Bull Summer Edition performed well in consumer testing with more than 2/3 of Energy Drink buyers say they would likely purchase a Curuba & Elderflower flavoured Energy Drink (Appinio).
Red Bull is a driving force behind flavours in the market and NPD has been largely incremental, with 45% of shoppers that bought into the flavoured Editions range being new to the brand (Kantar). Editions have recruited shoppers fast, with 2.8 million buying the brand, growing seven-fold in just 2 years (Kantar). This was reinforced last year, by the launch of the brands’ most successful NPD yet: The Summer Edition with the taste of Juneberry, which sold 9.4 million 250ml cans (Nielsen), and has now been made permanent in the range as The Blue Edition.
“Getting the full range of Red Bull is key to driving sales across the Soft Drink fixture. Red Bull Energy Drink is an on shelf essential with 250ml, 355ml and 473ml all falling into the top 20 best-selling FMCG skus (Nielsen),” adds the spokesperson.
Red Bull Sugar Free taps into the growing consumer health trend and sells more units than any other unflavoured sugar free functional energy variant, now purchased by 2.3 million shoppers (+18% in 2 years, Appinio). Red Bull Sugar Free brings an older and more affluent shopper to the category (Kantar) which is different in profile to the average Energy Drink shopper, so is key to catering to different shopper groups. Having full sugar and sugar free options on shelf is important as increasingly shoppers are buying across both; last year 35% of shoppers bought both a full sugar and sugar free energy drink (+3pts vs last year, Kantar).
“As the Energy category grows, so does the space that it warrants in store,” says the spokesperson. “It’s about ensuring that the shelves are easy to shop and well stocked all year round. Do this by making sure you have the best-selling brands eye-level with shoppers, ensure that brands are blocked together and that any new products are merchandised alongside the best-selling products to give shoppers the opportunity to trial.” Additionally, as the category grows, more consumers are trading up into multipacks. Red Bull Multipacks account for 42% of multipack growth (Nielsen), with the 4x250ml Red Bull Energy Drink Multipack selling more than double that of the next Energy Drink Multipack (Nielsen), making them an essential trade-up option for the #1 brand in the category.
Nigel McNally, Managing Director of newly launched sustainable bottled water brand NEO WTR, comments: “After a wet summer that dampened water sales, the focus for retailers stocking water bottle brands must now be to optimise the brands and products that customers are increasingly focused on.”
We know that more than four in five 25-39 year olds drink bottled water at some point (compared to less than a third of consumers aged 65 and over (YouGov survey 2020) and so it is clear that the bottled water market must focus on appealing to this demographic whilst answering the challenges that arise from the lack of sustainable focus in the category in the past.
“With Millennial and Generation Z consumers making the most of their purchasing decisions based on what they believe is best for the planet, 80% of people now use a reusable water bottle, at least sometimes, when outside the home (One Poll survey commissioned by City to Sea) – but it’s vital for retailers to be aware that this is not always practical or available and for these occasions, we need to be offering customers the most sustainable options possible,” adds McNally.
By sharing key messages in positive terms that consumers can easily relate to, retailers can encourage them to take immediate and positive action. Bottled water is an impulse purchase as much as it is a planned purchase and is best located at front of store for customers to pick up whilst on the go. Sustainable options allowing consumers alternative choices should be easily accessible. Chilled where possible, will maximise sales, particularly in the warmer months.
“To support retailers, brands need to clearly show the different benefits their products are offering and share clear messaging on pack for customers to easily understand,” says McNally. “A recent Mintel survey showed that half of British consumers find sustainable packaging to be an important part of drinks packaging design (Mintel Bottled Water Report 2023), and it seems that new product launches are now focusing on offering different sustainable claims in a bid to capture a market that is more invested in supporting the environment.”
Between 2018 and 2022, the share of soft drinks launches referencing recycled packaging content rose from 1% in 2018 to 14% in 2022 (UK Attitudes towards Drinks Packaging Market Report 2023) – something that has been further enhanced by some soft drinks brands in the UK adopting the EU’s legislation to ensure caps are tethered to bottles by 2024, which increases the likelihood of them being recycled, and reduces caps’ presence in landfills and natural environments.
Another concept brands are increasingly trying is experimenting with packaging, for example launching bottles in a larger, resealable 500ml formats, which significantly reduces the plastic waste associated with typical 330ml single-use plastic bottles, but is still convenient for on the go needs, or removing coloured plastic which is far harder to recycle.
There are also a swathe of new brands launching water in alternative packaging formats –in particular, the rise of aluminium canned water drinks has been notable, especially in the USA. Whilst aluminium is praised not only for its durability but also, crucially, its recyclability, there are also challenges in the prohibitive more expensive packaging format and in customers’ user experiences particularly around resealability.
Canned water sales have tripled since 2019 (Mintel 2023), and yet the majority of consumers are still buying products in plastic bottles – although 52% consumers say they are now prioritising reducing single use plastic (Bacardi Trends Report 2024). Therefore, it is up to manufacturers and retailers to provide consumers with plastic bottle options that will not break the bank nor further damage the planet.
“At NEO WTR we believe we have developed a game changing innovation by becoming Europe’s first beverage brand to be produced using a 100% certified Prevented Ocean Plastic™ bottle,” McNally continues. With projections suggesting that by 2050 our oceans could contain more plastic by weight than fish (Source: Ellen MacArthur Foundation), the pressure is mounting to provide solutions to prevent a global disaster.
Prevented Ocean Plastic™ is high quality, certified and award-winning recycled plastic material that has been collected from coastal areas at risk of ocean plastic pollution. Every 500ml bottle of NEO WTR stops the equivalent of 1.7 plastic bottles (POP™ weighing report) entering the ocean.
NEO WTR works with a partner which provides full end-to-end traceability of the entire collection and recycling process for Prevented Ocean Plastic™, from origin beaches to the final production-ready material (flake or pellet), whilst also ensuring social equity by ensuring bottle collection provides a reliable income option for sits collectors.
NEO WTR is meeting the sustainability challenges head on by making it easy for customers to understand that the brand reduces the need for new plastic, reuses and recycles discarded bottles into new bottles and stops plastic from reaching the ocean.
“We plan to support NEO WTR’s launch into Tesco superstores and wholesalers nationwide this June with marketing that really speaks to our proposed demographic of environmentally aware water drinkers. We hope to share our story, and those of the communities NEO WTR is helping, through a mix of ATL and BTL advertising, PR, sampling, and events all of which will help us make a real splash in our first few months,” adds McNally.
“Hopefully this year will see a dryer, warmer summer and we will see bottled water drinks return to strong sales growth, safe in the knowledge that there is a better way to shop for the planet.”
Katie Chadd, Business Unit Controller at FrieslandCampina, comments: “As we’ve progressed through 2024, shoppers have looked for smaller indulgences and rewards such as a sweet treat or a drink instead of holidays and expensive treats, which milkshakes are perfectly positioned to cater for. Additionally, data suggests that there is a greater acceptance of price premiums (IRI) and therefore room for more premium flavoured milks. There is a wider trend and appetite for treat and indulgent occasions, a sector estimated to be worth £132m, and YAZOO’s offering is incremental to the category.”
At the end of last year, YAZOO diversified its iconic portfolio with the introduction of a brand-new, HFSS-compliant, indulgent milkshake format: Thick N’ Creamy. This launch represents the first permanent NPD from the brand since 2016, proof of the serious investment in and backing of the proposition from parent company FrieslandCampina.
Thick N’ Creamy 300ml is available in grocery and convenience channels in two delectable flavours – Indulgent Chocolate and Creamy Strawberry – with on-pack visuals communicating the thick texture and creamy taste sensation of the product within.
This milkshake offering delivers an OTG treat in a unique and distinctive bottle shape featuring an eye-catching blue and gold logo colourway to immediately differentiate this upscale proposition on-shelf and attract both YAZOO loyalists and new shoppers alike. As sustainability is always a key consideration for FrieslandCampina, the bottles are made from 100% RPET with tethered caps and new, easy peelable sleeves to make recycling a doddle, whilst all the cocoa used in YAZOO’s chocolate products is certified by the Rainforest Alliance.
Thick N’ Creamy offers an indulgent taste at an accessible price point that makes it an affordable treat, which consumers are turning to more and more in the current climate, using the ‘little and often’ rationale when larger-scale indulgences feel out of reach.
YAZOO’s larger format 1 litre bottles are available as a £1.99 PMP, whilst the core 400ml bottle is available in a £1.49 PMP. The 400ml PMP is a great option for the impulse and drink now occasion, whilst the 1 litre bottles are perfect for take-home and sharing moments, meaning there is something for everyone. Likewise, Chocomel’s 750ml carton is perfect for those big night in occasions and means that consumers can stock up on larger formats to ensure they do not run out of their favourite brands and home comforts as quickly.
“Lots of brands now offer low or no sugar product alternatives so it’s important for us to keep driving the message that milk drinks like YAZOO offer many other nutritional benefits that soft drinks currently on the market cannot,” adds Chadd.
“We’re in a strong position when it comes to HFSS – all YAZOO milk drinks are HFSS-compliant. As a result, we can continue to invest in the category – with both above the line advertisements and in-store promotions, as well as feature and display.”
YAZOO is free from artificial sweeteners, flavours, or colours, high in protein and is a source of calcium and Vitamin B2.
Adam Hacking, Head of Beverages at Arla, comments: “Across the ready-to-drink chilled coffee category, we have seen sweet flavours continue to grow in popularity, with Chocolate and Caramel being the fastest-growing flavours in the past 52 weeks. Caramel has grown by 30% and Chocolate (and Mocha) products have grown nearly 70%.”
Starbucks® chilled coffee responds to consumer consumption habits and harness trends to feed innovation and attract shopper interest. The last few years of exponential growth in at-home convenience driven by the pandemic is a perfect example of this. In fact, such is its significance, at-home convenience is no longer a trend but a new, permanent, consumption habit and has been the driving force behind Starbucks’ product innovation. In March 2023 the award-winning, large-format Starbucks® Multiserve chilled coffee range was extended to include Starbucks® Multiserve Skinny Latte chilled coffee. The NPD also tapped into the consumer trend for less sugar in favourite products, a movement which also inspired the launch of the Starbucks® Doubleshot Espresso No Added Sugar Multipack, giving loyal shoppers a more convenient and accessible way to enjoy the signature Arabica espresso coffee with smooth creamy milk for a quick uplift at home.
These continual innovations and range increases have led to Starbucks® chilled coffee being the fastest growing brand in the Multiserve format, increasing 138% year on year (or an equivalent £19m YoY, Kantar/Nielsen) and Starbucks® multipacks have grown by 6% value and 16% volume (Kantar/Nielsen).
Ocean Spray’s Pink Cranberry juice drink, which launched in September 2023, has gone onto Tesco shelves and is being supported by a brand new TV ad campaign. Tesco is also stocking the chilled version of Pink Cranberry and is first UK supermarket to do so. And Waitrose and Co-op will be taking the ambient version this summer, extending distribution even further of this innovative sweet cranberry juice drink.
Jo Dickinson, Senior UK Marketing Manager, Ocean Spray, comments: “When we developed Pink Cranberry, not only did we want to make sure it appealed to a younger generation of cranberry drinkers, we also wanted it to have wider appeal outside of the breakfast occasion, because we know that younger consumers are looking to drink juice differently from previous generations. Pink’s fruitier and lighter taste profile means it appeals to a wider audience and makes it more versatile, offering refreshment at different times of the day such as lunchtime, early evening or as an afternoon pick me up. As well as drinking it on its own or served over ice, it’s also great as a mixer in cocktails, mocktails and smoothies, something we regularly promote through our PR, social media and digital advertising campaigns.”
Sarah Baldwin, CEO at Purity Soft Drinks, comments: “Our research shows that 29% of consumers are drinking more fruit juice and juice drinks in comparison to pre-Covid levels, driven by an increased focus on health. When choosing a soft drink, health is now the second most important consideration after taste, with 41% of juice drinkers choosing a product because of its health credentials and 36% preferring products that provide one of their five-a-day.
“To maximise the soft drinks opportunity, it’s important for retailers to stock a range of options that can appeal to those shoppers who are seeking out healthier drinks. For many years, we have pursued the approach of including only natural ingredients in our products – with absolutely no added sugar ever – and this has been a key part of our mission as a business.”
The number of consumers moderating their drinking has skyrocketed, presenting massive opportunity for retailers to maximise their sales by stocking an enticing range of alcohol-free alternatives and soft drinks. 5.2m fewer UK adults consumed alcohol weekly in 2023 vs 2021, and 3 out of 4 are moderating their alcohol intake to some extent (KAM).
This is especially true for younger consumers, with nearly half (44%) of 18–24-year-olds considering themselves either an occasional or regular drinker of alcohol alternatives compared to 31% in 2022 (The Portman Group).
Healthy kids drink Radnor Fizz is partnering with Go Ape to run a new ‘Fuel the Fun’ promotion.
The on-pack push offers the chance for households to win tree top adventure vouchers with Go Ape.
Running until November 1st, there are lots of chances to win the weekly prize of a Go Ape voucher throughout 2024.
Go Ape has 37 locations around the UK, from London to Scotland and Wales to the South East, all perfect for a fun day out.
Radnor Fizz, the UK’s leading School Compliant drinks brand, has been a favourite of children for over 15 years. Containing real fruit juice, all natural flavourings and no added sugar, Radnor Fizz comes in a 100% recyclable bottle which is made from 30% recycled material.
There are six fabulously fruity flavours to choose from – including Apple, Forest Fruits, Tropical, Orange and Mango, Sour Cherry and Strawberry – and a bottle counts as one of your 5-a-day. Each drink is made using spring water sourced from Radnor’s own boreholes in the rural Welsh hills on their zero to landfill site. Over 40 million Radnor school drinks are sold every year.
The Fuel the Fun promotion is being backed by a full 360-degree marketing campaign and Radnor have teamed up with London agency Wildish & Co to bring a fresh new look and feel to the brand with activation to include, a full social media campaign, an Out Of Home campaign, in-store retail POS, including fridge wobblers and shelf barkers, on site tasting events and brand introduction for catering managers.
Chris Butler, Marketing Manager for Radnor Hills, said: “Go Ape is an amazing day out for families and a brilliant way to get out into nature, to challenge yourself and have fun.
“We’re all about adding value for families and so we’re delighted to be partnering with Go Ape for the first time to help families to fuel lots of fun moments together while keeping them naturally hydrated whilst doing the things they love.”
Milly Tuck, Senior Brand Manager, Cawston Press, comments: “Today’s consumers are willing to pay more for high-quality drinks (FMI), which presents huge opportunities for retailers to drive value into the category with sophisticated, premium soft drinks like ours at Cawston Press. Our range provides high-quality soft drinks made with pressed fruit, no added sugar, no sweeteners and not from concentrate, being the biggest brand in the ‘Not from Concentrate’ category, which is expected to witness remarkable growth in the coming years (Global NFC Juices Market Industry Insight Report 2023).
According to Global Newswire’s report on the Global Fruit Juice Market (2022 to 2027), the consumption of soft drinks such as fizzy drinks is reducing due to ‘high sugar content, artificial colouring, phosphoric acid, artificial sweeteners, and caffeine’, creating a greater shift in demand from carbonated drinks towards natural fruit juices (Global Newswire Global Fruit Juice Market 2022-2027) – with ‘Not From Concentrate’ leading the category, something grocery retailers should consider when choosing their summer soft drinks range.
This coincides with research commissioned by Cawston Press via YouGov, which highlighted that 60% of UK adults are concerned about the amount of sugar and sweeteners in fizzy drinks. Also, 63% would prefer if their drinks were made with more natural ingredients.
The UK’s number one independent chilled coffee brand, Arctic Coffee, continues to lead on innovation by launching two new products – the single-serve Hi-Protein Caramel Latte and the take-home Mocha 1L. These brand-new chilled coffee products are made at the Devonshire based Crediton Dairy, with Rainforest Alliance Certified coffee beans.
This launch comes at a time where prices for coffee shop drinks are at an all time high, meaning consumers are looking to the more affordable and accessible ready-to-drink market. In addition, there is trend for decadent and daring coffee flavours as well as convenient nutrition; and this shift has opened up opportunities with Arctic Coffee responding to those demands to meet the needs of the modern-day coffee drinker. The new launch of Arctic Coffee Hi-Protein Caramel Latte is a delicious caramel latte chilled coffee (RRP £1.15) with 15g protein – bringing together two consumer trends into one drink. On top of this, the drink is lower in calories (125 per carton), low in fat and has no added sugar. Shoppers will find Arctic Coffee Hi-Protein Caramel Latte in the supermarket chilled coffee cabinets.
Commenting on the launch, Head of Marketing & Insight at Crediton Dairy, Abigail Kelly says: “Coffee shops have always led the way when it comes to decadent and daring coffee flavours and at a time when consumers need a good reason to part with income, innovation is key to keeping brands relevant. We wanted to bring similar great tasting and different options to the supermarket shelves to better meet the needs of shoppers.”
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