The UK Carbonated Soft Drinks Market Report 2023 identifies the current performance of the CSD market, consumers’ attitudes towards CSDs, and influencing factors on the market. This report covers the CSD market share, market opportunities, and key industry trends for the UK CSD Market.
Despite challenges presented by the cost-of-living crisis, total carbonated soft drinks (CSD) volume sales in 2022 exceeded those seen in 2019 by 3.3%. This highlights the category’s resilience to squeezed incomes, supported by the drinks’ affordability and their roles as mood-boosting treats and alcohol replacements. However, the record-breaking summer weather will have been a key contributing factor to the market’s buoyancy.
Variants positioned as natural and those with added health benefits remain niche in the CSDs market, with innovation in these areas typically being the domain of small, challenger brands. However, there could be lucrative potential for the major players to also explore these areas, given the sizable demand for such activity from consumers’ favourite brands.
While flavour continues to be the core innovation battleground in the CSDs market, texture should not be overlooked. Almost half of CSD drinkers express an interest in different textures, which presents an opportunity for innovation. Interest in the texture concept is also notably higher among those who agree that CSDs with lower carbonation are better for you than those with higher carbonation. This may indicate that health is a concern for CSD drinkers, further bolstered by the launches of various added health benefits CSD drinks.
The prevalence of CSD littering in public spaces is curbing sales, creating a strong commercial incentive for brands to position themselves as part of the solution to this problem. The introduction of Deposit Return Schemes (DRS) may also act as a deterrent for purchasing CSDs. However, by lessening the negative connotations with single-use packaging waste, DRSs should help keep consumers engaged with the CSDs category in the longer term. CSD brands can benefit from actively supporting DRSs, for example by raising awareness around these schemes and their sustainability benefits.
CSD affordability and the importance of emotion-led usage drivers – which become more powerful during times of hardship – have helped to insulate the CSD category from consumers’ economising habits within grocery shopping. However, 2023 may see a decline in volume sales given the unexpected boost from the unusually hot summer of 2022. Moving forward to 2025, as consumers spend less cautiously and the alcohol moderation movement becomes more widespread, real-term growth is expected.
Looking ahead, the penetration of in-home soda making systems is likely to continue to grow amid the ongoing spotlight on packaging waste. Growing competition in the soda maker market should also continue to make prices more accessible.
With the first DRS in the UK to be introduced in Scotland later in 2023, some major CSD brands are raising concerns about the implementation and roll-out of the scheme across the rest of the UK. In particular, as UK constituent countries are planning to roll out DRSs differently.
To discover more about the Carbonated Soft Drink Market, read our Attitudes Towards Drinks Packaging Market Report, or take a look at our extensive Drinks Market Research.
Products: All mainstream CSDs are included in the market size. Diet carbonates are included. Mixers (including tonic water, ginger ale, soda water and bitter lemon) are included.
Brands: Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, Fanta, Fever-Tree, AG Barr, Schweppes, Dr Pepper, Britvic, SHS Group, Belvoir Fruit Farms, Fentimans, Nix & Kix, Punchy Drinks, Nexba, Peak Mood Drink, and more.
This report, written by Emma Clifford, a leading analyst in the Food & Drink sector, delivers in-depth commentary and analysis to highlight current trends in the CSD market and add expert context to the numbers.
CSDs have again proved resilient to squeezed incomes, supported by their affordability and roles as mood-boosting treats and alcohol replacements. With associations with littering curbing sales, doing more to tackle this and actively supporting the DRS will reap rewards for brands. Meanwhile, textural innovation could be the next frontier for CSDs in light of consumer interest in this area.
Emma Clifford
Associate Director – Food and Drink Research
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