2026
8
Germany Carbonated Soft Drinks Market Report 2026
2026-03-20T14:01:29+00:00
REPCD01FE34_4281_446E_81FE_344281946E78
2195
192121
[{"name":"Carbonated Soft Drinks","url":"https:\/\/store.mintel.com\/industries\/drinks\/carbonated-soft-drinks"},{"name":"Market Intelligence Reports","url":"https:\/\/store.mintel.com\/report-type\/market-intelligence-reports"},{"name":"Germany","url":"https:\/\/store.mintel.com\/markets\/germany-market-research"}]
Report
en_GB
Despite a surge in diet CSD consumption, 49% of category consumers have cut down in the three months to January 2026 due to concerns about artificial sweeteners. This implicates sugar…
Germany
Carbonated Soft Drinks
simple

Germany Carbonated Soft Drinks Market Report 2026

Despite a surge in diet CSD consumption, 49% of category consumers have cut down in the three months to January 2026 due to concerns about artificial sweeteners.

Trusted by leading global brands

Amazon logo
Deutsch brand logo
waitrose
Bauer-Media-Group
mediacom-logo-e1438678858172 (1)
VML Logo
Epsilon Logo
VocaLink_Mastercard_logo-PNG-1
Amazon logo
Deutsch brand logo
waitrose
Bauer-Media-Group
mediacom-logo-e1438678858172 (1)
VML Logo
Epsilon Logo
VocaLink_Mastercard_logo-PNG-1
4.5 stars
Source: G2.com, Inc.
Collapse All
  1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

    • What you need to know
    • Outlook for carbonated soft drinks
    • Opportunities
    • Make indulgence more permissible
    • Elevate drinks with wellness-driven functionality
    • Ignite community pride
  2. THE MARKET

    • Snapshot – market size and forecast
    • Consumers and the economic outlook
    • Graph 1: consumer price index of selected cold beverages, by type, 2021-25
    • A sugar tax sparks national conversation
    • Gut health is trending
    • Social connection matters as mental wellbeing pressures rise
    • Carbonated soft drinks appear immune to international tension
    • Market size and forecast
    • Volume sales take a dip
    • Graph 2: value market size for carbonated soft drinks, 2020-25
    • Value sales set to steadily climb
    • Graph 3: retail market value forecast for carbonated soft drinks, 2019-30
    • Volume sales remain resilient
    • Graph 4: retail market volume forecast for carbonated soft drinks, 2019-30
    • Cola maintains its pop
    • Graph 5: value retail sales of carbonated soft drinks, by segment, 2024-25
    • Pepsi gains in a stagnant market
    • Graph 6: company value shares of carbonated soft drinks, 2024-25
  3. THE CONSUMER

    • Health concerns and sugar moderation reshape usage
    • Diet maintains growth trajectory
    • Sugar moderation cuts into sales
    • Bring sophisticated selections to older Germans
    • A refreshing take on CSDs
    • Expand natural sweetener selection
    • Graph 7: share of carbonated soft drink launches containing cane sugar, 2016-25
    • Artificial sweeteners spark concern
    • Ultra-processing concerns hit carbonated soft drinks
    • Functional CSDs enter the spotlight
    • Functionality makes processing permissible
    • Functionality claims need credibility
    • Graph 8: purchase drivers for carbonated soft drinks, by consumption of carbonated soft drinks, 2026
    • Encourage mindfulness to support German workers
    • Burst the bubble on gut health
    • CSDs in consumers’ lifestyles
    • TURF Analysis of purchase drivers
    • Price pressures challenge local brands
    • Tastes like home
    • CSDs are a lifestyle for younger consumers
    • Winning over younger consumers through shared values
    • Graph 9: launch activity of carbonated soft drinks with select ethical and environmental claims, 2023-25
  4. PRODUCT, INNOVATION AND MARKETING

    • New product launch types enjoy strong growth
    • Graph 10: CSD launches, by launch type, 2023-25
    • Functional CSDs enter the spotlight
    • The fibre soda trend creates opportunities to differentiate sugar-reduced CSD
    • Functional innovation reshaping the CSD landscape
    • BFY minus claims show limited growth
    • Graph 11: CSD launches, by top five minus claims, 2022-25
    • More cans, fewer large pack sizes
    • Tap into local pride to connect with consumers
  5. APPENDIX

    • Report scope/market definition
    • The market
    • Forecast methodology
    • Forecast methodology – fan chart
    • Market forecast and prediction intervals – value
    • Market forecast and prediction intervals – volume
    • Market size of carbonated soft drinks, by segment
    • Market share
    • The consumer
    • Consumer research questions
    • Consumer research methodology
    • TURF methodology
    • How to read: TURF analysis
    • Germany generational groups
    • Other data source methodologies
    • Mintel Spark
    • Abbreviations
    • A note on language – Germany
Download Report Summary

"Functional drinks are surging. CSD brands can adopt functional claims, where the full positioning signals wellness, for example through low‑sugar recipes using more juice, honey or added fibre."

Jack Friedlein, Analyst - Food & Drink

German Soft Drinks Market – Trends and Insights

  • Despite a surge in diet CSD consumption, 49% of category consumers have cut down in the three months to January 2026 due to concerns about artificial sweeteners. This implicates sugar and processing concerns as key threats to the category, resulting in stagnating volume sales. Brands can adapt with low-sugar variants, drawing on natural sweeteners and less-sweet profiles to broaden appeal.
  • Functional drinks already account for 20% of non-alcoholic drink launches in Germany in 2025. CSDs have been slower to switch, with just 4% of launches claiming added functionality, and while this highlights untapped potential, consumers remain divided on trusting health claims, making credibility and brand authenticity more critical than ever. Sceptics require evidence-based claims and clean labels, making transparency and consistency pivotal to unlock growth for wellness-focused or functional launches.
  • Brand loyalty remains a defining force in the German CSD sector, reflected in the cola flavour maintaining a stronghold, and global CSD leaders continuing to dominate, even during heightened localism and international tensions. Although premium prices likely slowed adoption of local or challenger brands, a shift toward local ingredients, culturally relevant flavours and grassroots branding could gain greater momentum with economic upswing.

This Report Looks at the Following Areas:

  • Market drivers for carbonated soft drinks, including the impact of Germany’s economy on the market, and regulatory drivers amid rising consumer health concerns.
  • Market sizing, forecast and segmentation of carbonated soft drinks, with brand loyalty stifling change and cola dominating flavours.
  • Usage of carbonated soft drinks, exploring continuous growth in diet formats.
  • Purchase drivers of carbonated soft drinks, with functional benefits presenting a promising value growth engine due to niche presence in the broader product launch landscape.
  • Attitudes and behaviours towards carbonated soft drinks, with a focus on processing concerns and social responsibility.
  • Trends in launch activity, and opportunities for further innovation
£ 2,195 excl. Tax
Secure direct checkout
Instant PDF download
Portal access included
Need help deciding? Get in touch

Trusted by global industry leaders

4.5 stars
Source: G2.com, Inc.
Tenth Wave logo

Mintel helps us when we want to know something quickly – it provides fast answers to our questions. If we need to get a view of what’s going on in a particular market it’s very useful.

When carrying out background research, I find Mintel an excellent starting point.

The fact that it covers so many markets is a big plus for me– instead of having to buy specialist products in each area we are interested in, especially when we only require a brief view on a particular market, we can go to Mintel for help as a one-stop shop. I find Mintel a useful and valuable resource.

Ben Zeidler, Director - Research and Analytics, Tenth Wave
Epsilon logo

We utilize Mintel Reports, Trends and Comperemedia to mine for insights across the numerous business verticals that Epsilon serves, such as CPG, automotive, telecom, healthcare/pharma, retail and financial services.

By integrating Mintel insight into new business opportunities, we have been able to gain the competitive edge necessary to advance partnerships with global brands and key business players.

For our organization, it’s about depth and breadth. Having one without the other doesn’t enable success in our business.

Virginia Harvey, Secondary Research Manager, Epsilon
Abacus logo

There is no question that Mintel is the go-to resource for the best quality market research, but I did not think it was an affordable option for Abacus Marketing to consider. As a small marketing agency, we only work with a few new clients each year.

However, we have a very high-end consultative approach to our work, so we really do need a partner like Mintel to provide the big agency experience we are always aiming to deliver. Our clients come from an incredibly diverse range of industry sectors, so we obviously need access to market research reports from a very wide spectrum of marketplaces – and that is precisely what we got.

Stephen Taylor-Brown, Managing Director, Abacus
Deutsch logo

One of the biggest challenges we face is the need to get smart on a business or category real quick.

We are talking to clients who live and breathe their category every day and the expectation is that we will be able to get caught up very quickly, and bring the thinking that can help them.

We need to do that often in a matter of days, so it’s not a small ask. Mintel gives us a very articulate view of category conditions and does so at the speed we need it.

Jeff White, Business Development Director, Deutsch
VocaLink logo

We use Mintel Reports, mostly for financial services and ecommerce markets, plus a few retail and technology ones.

As a leading payments provider, we value additional insights into consumer behaviour, opinions and trends that are shaping the many different markets we operate in. Mintel is a very good and very quick way for us to obtain those insights.

We use Mintel to get a view on where a particular market is going, which can support us in product development and help us identify opportunities or indeed risks, it is a very useful barometer of a market’s potential.

 

Andrew Neeson, Market Intelligence Manager, VocaLink
Amazon logo

Working in a customer-obsessed organization means that data and insights have to be at our fingertips. Mintel’s reports help us support anecdotes with real quantifiable insights. The summary sections (which I really like) helps save time by giving a birds eye view of the content before spending time combing through the pages.

Our business review discussions are strengthened by the relevancy of the reports to help us better understand our customers. In addition, the customer service received from the team (especially in crunch periods) makes the process of understanding customer behavior even better.

Ngozi Ngonadi-Nkwoji, Senior Marketing Manager, Amazon
Waitrose & Partners logo

We’ve found it so useful working more closely with Mintel. They helped support our recent flagship event for our top suppliers by providing a really unique viewpoint on the future of online retailing.

Nick Carroll from their Retail Team was also an excellent panelist, sharing useful and actionable consumer insights. We definitely look forward to working with Mintel again on future projects.

Zac Steele, E-Commerce Trading Development Manager, Waitrose & Partners
VML logo

We use Mintel to inform our thinking and reinforce strategy. If you’re presenting new ideas, it’s essential they are underpinned by robust data and evidence, and clearly rooted in fact.

Mintel gives us all that. It’s a great brand and one that is trusted by clients.

Marie Stafford, European Director, The Innovation Group, VML
Jackman logo

At Jackman, we believe that powerful strategies are based on human insight. Mintel’s leading-edge reports and insights into consumer attitudes and behaviors are an important input as we develop and execute strategy.

Alana Gavin, VP Research and Insights, Jackman
Wincanton logo

When I’m investigating specific sectors I tend to use Mintel reports for their forecasting, which I’ve always found to be very accurate.

They also offer really broad and deep coverage in their reports. They are very, very detailed. For example, we were able to gain insight across a wide range of business areas from just one report, proving that Mintel is excellent value for money.

So overall, it’s the level of detail and the quality of forecasting that really stand out for me.

Rebecca Green, Market Insight Manager, Wincanton
Bauer Media Group logo

We have such a great working relationship with Mintel on lots of different levels. As an insight partner, they have helped us to develop our business planning in specific categories as well as supporting our creative process but they’ve also been super helpful with facilitating our events in their inspirational offices near St Paul’s.

They’re an innovative company, with a client-focused team that always delivers.

Abby Carvosso, Group Managing Director, Bauer Media Group
Mediacom logo

Mintel is really good for getting a handle on a particular category quickly. If we are working on a new business pitch in an area we don’t have much experience in, it’s a brilliant way to get up to speed with what’s going on, what’s changing and what the key trends are in any category.

It’s very rare now that anyone will plough through a 200-page report – that’s why the summaries are really useful. We know they are backed up by a lot of detail, so if you need to go into something in more depth you know the information will be all there for you.

Pauline Robson, Managing Partner, Mediacom