“Although financial status and confidence have begun to recover, consumers might still be cautious about spending, including on non-alcoholic drinks. Visualisation of ingredients can not only help justify product value, but can also convey a natural message to resolve concerns about food safety and artificial additives. Meanwhile, beverage brands can emphasize zero sugar substitutes under continuous attention to health and evolving taste preference.”
Roolee Lu, Associate Director
Key issues covered in this Report
- Consumption trends of major non-alcoholic drink categories
- Latest new product trends and market activities
- Implications of information channel choices
- Noteworthy flavours and products to attract consumption interest
- Comparison in consumption occasions of major non-alcoholic drink categories.
Collapse All
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Overview
- What you need to know
- Key issues covered in this Report
- Covered in this Report
- Definition
- What you need to know
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Executive Summary
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- The market
- Companies and brands
- The consumer
- Focus energy boosting needs under further increased popularity of energy drinks
- Figure 1: Consumption frequency, 2022
- Short video platforms and social media can help new products reach younger audience
- Figure 2: Information channels, 2022
- Strengthening connection with occasions can help break though
- Figure 3: Consumption occasions, 2022
- Niche fruits with seasonal speciality can help differentiate due to special love for fruits
- Figure 4: Interest in flavours, 2022
- Probiotic/prebiotic drinks show growth potential amid high interest rate and limited offerings
- Figure 5: Consumption interest, 2022
- Naturalness should be emphasised to resolve consumption concerns
- Figure 6: Behaviours related to non-alcoholic drinks, 2022
- What we think
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Issues and Insights
- Visualise ingredients to emphasise naturalness
- The facts
- The implications
- Figure 7: Fstea Four-Season Spring Oolong Tea and Jin Jun Mei Black Tea, China, 2022
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- Figure 8: Hardcore Corceous Lab Yi Zheng Gen Botanical Beverage, China, 2022
- Utilise seasonal flavours to maintain consumption interest
- The facts
- The implications
- Figure 9: Product examples of Kagome’s seasonal fruit juice, Japan, 2022
- Figure 10: Product examples of Suntory Fukujuen Iyemon’s seasonal roasted tea, Japan, 2021-22
- Cater to evolving needs from zero sucrose to zero sugar substitutes
- The facts
- The implications
- Figure 11: Examples of dairy products with zero sugar substitutes from Lepur, Plantag and Watson’s, China, 2022
- Visualise ingredients to emphasise naturalness
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Market Factors
- Consumers are cautious about spending, but financial status begins to recover
- Figure 12: Trading up and down plans – non-alcoholic drinks, 2021-23
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- Figure 13: Changes in financial situation, 2022-23
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- Figure 14: Confidence in future financial situation, 2022-23
- Updated guidelines and policy put health under the spotlight
- Figure 15: Most concerned problems, 2023
- Historic resolution to end plastic pollution
- Figure 16: Corporate social responsibility, 2022
- Consumers are cautious about spending, but financial status begins to recover
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Marketing Activities
- Strengthen connection with consumers via festive marketing
- Figure 17: Wanglaoji’s limited products for the Year of the Rabbit, China, 2022
- Figure 18: Coca-Cola x White Rabbit, China, 2023
- Figure 19: Shiny Meadow A Bottle of Love in The Year of the Rabbit (兔年有爱瓶), China, 2022
- The emerging of carbon neutral drinks
- Figure 20: Genki Forest Zero Carbon White Peach-flavored Sparkling Water, China, 2022
- Extend brands to pairing drinks
- Figure 21: FreeNow Raw Coconut Latte Combo, China, 2022
- Figure 22: Saturnbird’s coffee pairing drinks, China, 2022
- Strengthen connection with consumers via festive marketing
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New Product Trends
- Juice innovation activities returned, while RTD tea witnessed increased popularity
- Figure 23: New products launched in non-alcoholic drinks, by subcategory, China, 2018-22
- Minus claims become more prevalent with growing attention to low/ reduced sugar and transfat
- Figure 24: New products launched in non-alcoholic drinks*, by claim category, China, 2018-22
- Figure 25: New products launched in non-alcoholic drinks*, by top 10 growing claim, China, 2018-22
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- Figure 26: Product examples of non-alcoholic drinks with low/reduced sugar and low/no/reduced transfat, China, 2022
- Figure 27: Product examples of non-alcoholic drinks with high/added protein and fibre, China, 2022
- Ethical and natural claims regain attention
- Figure 28: Product examples of non-alcoholic drinks with ethical & environmental claims, China, 2022
- Figure 29: Product examples of non-alcoholic drinks with natural claims, China, 2022
- Juice innovation activities returned, while RTD tea witnessed increased popularity
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Consumption Frequency
- Milk and bottled water retain their positions of being most consumed
- Figure 30: Consumption frequency, 2022
- Juice has opportunity to increase consumption due to its large consumer base
- Energy drinks and sparkling drinks lead consumption increase
- Figure 31: Consumption frequency – usage penetration, 2020 vs 2022
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- Figure 32: Consumption frequency – once a day or more, 2020 vs 2022
- Milk and bottled water retain their positions of being most consumed
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Information Channels
- Comprehensive shopping channels are also important information boards …
- Figure 33: Information channels, 2022
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- Figure 34: Information channels, by selected food related behaviour, 2022
- … while convenience stores have outstanding influence on Gen Z consumers
- Figure 35: Information channels, by generation, 2022
- Utilise short video platforms and social media to help new products reach younger generations
- Figure 36: Food related behaviour – selected statements, by generation, 2022
- Tap into consumers in lower tier cities with engaging content
- Figure 37: Information channels, by city tier, 2022
- Comprehensive shopping channels are also important information boards …
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Consumption Occasions
- Dairy milk shows established connection with both morning and bedtime
- Figure 38: Consumption occasions, 2022
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- Figure 39: Consumption occasions, 2022
- Enhanced water can tap into both functional and hydration needs of exercise
- Sparkling options are associated with indulgence, while juice shows strength in meal pairing
- Figure 40: Consumption occasions* – having a meal in restaurants and having a meal at home, 2022
- Dairy milk shows established connection with both morning and bedtime
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Interest in Flavours
- Fruit flavours are top of mind in non-alcoholic drinks
- Figure 41: Interest in flavours, 2022
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- Figure 42: Purchasing seasonal flavoured food and drink – tea drinks and coffee, 2022
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- Figure 43: Interest in selected flavours, by consumption frequency – once a day or more, 2022
- Diversified flavour preference across different age groups and categories
- Figure 44: Interest in flavours, by age, 2022
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- Figure 45: Interest in selected flavours, by consumption frequency – once a day or more, 2022
- Fruit flavours are top of mind in non-alcoholic drinks
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Consumption Interest
- Consumers in lower tier cities show great interest despite their lower product awareness
- Figure 46: Consumption interest, 2022
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- Figure 47: Consumption interest – I’ve heard of it, by city tier, 2022
- Figure 48: Consumption interest – I’d be interested in trying, by city tier, 2022
- Probiotic and prebiotic drinks show greatest potential …
- Figure 49: Consumption Interest – interested in trying, 2022
- … while snackable juice wins affinity from younger generations
- Figure 50: Consumption interest – I’d be interested in trying, by age, 2022
- Consumers in lower tier cities show great interest despite their lower product awareness
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Behaviours Related to Non-alcoholic Drinks
- More consumers enjoy exploring new drink types than sticking to certain options
- Figure 51: Behaviours related to non-alcoholic drinks, 2022
- Consumers’ in-home DIY needs deserve special attention
- Figure 52: Behaviours related to non-alcoholic drinks – selected statements, by generation, 2022
- Highlight naturalness and sustainability to reassure consumers’ concerns
- Figure 53: Behaviours related to non-alcoholic drinks – selected statements, by age, 2022
- More consumers enjoy exploring new drink types than sticking to certain options
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Food Personas
- Who are they?
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- Figure 54: Food personas, 2022
- Figure 55: Food personas, by generation, 2022
- Water and juice are popular among critical shoppers, while functional drinks win affinity of new trend explorers
- Figure 56: Consumption frequency – once a day or more, by food persona, 2022
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- Figure 57: Information channels, by food persona, 2022
- Critical shoppers are explorative in flavours, while floral can help seize new trend explorers
- Figure 58: Interest in flavours, by food persona, 2022
- Who are they?
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Appendix – Methodology and Abbreviations
- Methodology
- Abbreviations
- Methodology
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