Juice in France

2020 IMPACT

Sales declines seen across juice as the COVID-19 pandemic piles on the pressure

After an already very bad year for sales of juice in France during 2019, 2020 saw sales remain on the wane in the category as the COVID-19 pandemic placed substantial pressure on sales in both the on-trade and off-trade channels. However, retail volume declines were less severe than what was seen in the category during 2020 and this can be attributed mainly to the shift in consumption from the on-trade to the off-trade.

High sugar content remains a millstone around the neck of many juice brands

As in carbonates, concerns over high sugar content continue to suppress demand for juice during 2020. Although the trend away from high-sugar products has been in evidence in France for some years already, having migrated to the country from the UK before the start of the review period, the anti-sugar trend entered the mainstream during 2019 and was amplified as the COVID-19 situation sharpened the focus of French consumers on health and wellness over the course 2020.

The economic pressures created by COVID-19 boost demand for private label

After years of sluggish performances for private label juice in France, the private label lines of the country’s leading chained grocery retailers roared back into contention during 2020 as the economic pressures created by the COVID-19 pandemic encouraged consumers to save money wherever possible. In France, private label is widely regarded as representing good value for money and this is a reflection of the decent quality that the private label lines of the country’s leading grocery retailers chains represent.

RECOVERY AND OPPORTUNITIES

The prospects for juice remain underwhelming, with negative growth expected

The outlook for juice in France is not particularly good. Indeed, the category is expected to record negative total volume growth over the forecast period, despite the strong recovery expected in on-trade sales during 2021 and 2022.

Transparency in terms of product sourcing set to become more important

Transparency is expected to become one of the major themes in France’s food and beverages industries during the forecast period. In terms of juice, this is expected to focus on the origin of the fruit and vegetables used in the manufacture of these products.

Large packaging formats expected to remain popular due to their better value

One of the most interesting trends to emerge in the French soft drinks industry from the COVID-19 pandemic was the surge in consumer demand for products in larger packaging sizes. The shift towards juice in pack sizes in excess of 1-litre in the retail channel that was seen over the course of 2020 represented a reversal of the trends that were in evidence prior to the onset of the COVID-19 situation.