The German juice category continues to face challenging market conditions. Volume sales are in ongoing decline, with value growth largely bolstered by price increases.
"Despite ongoing market pressures, focusing on low-sugar formulations and added nutrition can help re-engage category users. Lean into juice's fun factor to better compete with rival drink categories."
Hope Banks Petrikowski, Analyst – Food & Drink
The German juice category continues to face challenging market conditions. Volume sales are in ongoing decline, with value growth largely bolstered by price increases. Consumption cutbacks are commonplace, driven by a combination of cost pressures and health concerns. Yet, despite this, category users continue to prioritise high quality juice, underlining the importance for brands to anchor value perceptions in strong quality messaging.
At the same time, consumers’ rising health motivations are driving more scrutiny towards juice’s sugar content, underscoring the importance of reduced and no added sugar claims. Meanwhile, these same health motivations are pushing up interest in nutrient fortification, with a focus on ingredient-forward messaging.
However, the growing relevance of Spaßgetränke (‘fun drinks’) signals immediate opportunity for juice to hone in on their enjoyment factor, as 46% of Germans agree that fruit juice products are more for fun than for health. With young consumers particularly drawn to novelty, juice brands have the opportunity to boost excitement through innovative flavour combinations and category blurring.
This Report examines the German retail market for fruit juice, juice drinks and smoothies. It excludes sales through foodservice channels.
For the purposes of market size data, Mintel includes the following:
For ease, the term ‘juice products’ is sometimes used to refer to all fruit juice, juice drinks including smoothies, coconut water and vegetable juice.
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