Carbonates in the United Kingdom

2020 IMPACT

Channel shift benefits off-trade pushes larger formats of carbonates forward

Sales of carbonates through off-trade benefited from on-trade closures which began in March 2020 as part of the government’s lockdown measures in response to COVID-19 in an attempt to control the spread of the virus. As such, there was a significant transfer of drinking occasions from the on-trade space into the home environment as adults and children were forced to work or study from home during this period.

Sugar reduction trend accelerates under COVID-19

Reduced sugar categories continued to gain in popularity in 2020, as a continuation and acceleration of an existing trend within soft drinks, in part due to health and wellness concerns resulting in a conscious effort by the nation to reduce their sugar intake, whilst also being given a boost by the introduction of the Soft Drinks Industry Levy (SDIL) in April 2018. Low calorie cola carbonates now holds higher off-trade volume share within the dominant category of cola carbonates in the UK, and is set to record double-digit off-trade volume and current value growth in 2020.

Coca-Cola retains overall dominance but continues to compete with Pepsi over flavour variants to maintain consumer interest

Coca-Cola Enterprises Ltd retained its dominance of carbonates in off-trade value share terms in 2020, offering a wide product portfolio, and resulting in its leadership of both cola carbonates (and the dynamic low calorie cola carbonates) with popular brands such as Diet Coke and Coca-Cola Zero Sugar, and non-cola carbonates with Fanta, Sprite and Dr Pepper. Its nearest competitor within cola carbonates, Britvic Soft Drinks Ltd, which offers the brand Pepsi, continued to gain value share from the leader in addition to recording impressive current value growth, while Pepsi Max retained its leadership of low calorie cola carbonates, which it gained in 2019, pushing Diet Coke into second position.

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