Festive Soft Drinks Sales Surge with Seasonal Innovations
Festive soft drinks sales surge with seasonal innovations, driving significant growth in the retail market.
The festive season is a prime opportunity for retailers to boost sales, particularly in the soft drinks category. With consumers ready to spend, the soft drinks market has grown significantly, reaching a value of £15.33 billion and adding £1.04 billion in retail sales over the past year.
Festive Favorites and New Innovations
Kate Abbotson from Coca-Cola Europacific Partners emphasizes the importance of Christmas for convenience stores. She notes that soft drinks are essential for various shopper needs, from family gatherings to last-minute purchases. Big brands remain key to this growth, and retailers should focus on a strong core range with seasonal promotions.
Coca-Cola has introduced Coca-Cola Holiday Creamy Vanilla, available in both original and zero sugar versions, featuring festive packaging. Pepsi is bringing back its Pepsi Zero Sugar Gingerbread flavor, and Red Bull is launching the Glacier Edition with a frosted raspberry taste, exclusively at Booker and Tesco.
Maximizing Sales Strategies
Ben Parker from Carlsberg Britvic advises retailers to use secondary displays and Point Of Sale (POS) materials to highlight Christmas products. Placing drinks in prominent areas can capture both planned and impulse buys. He suggests grouping products by festive themes, like “Christmas Entertaining,” and using promotions to encourage larger purchases.
Mixers are a “must stock” item, according to Abbotson, with Schweppes leading the category. The brand is partnering with Netflix’s The Gentlemen for a promotional campaign, tapping into the trend of at-home cocktail making.
The festive season also sees a rise in premium soft drinks, as shoppers seek indulgent yet affordable options. Tracy Ford from Oovi notes that hosts now cater to diverse preferences, including drivers and those cutting back on alcohol. This trend extends into the New Year, with healthier choices becoming a year-round habit.
Christmas morning offers another sales opportunity. Parker recommends merchandising coffee, juice, and smoothies alongside breakfast items. Tropicana has launched a festive range, including 1.8L packs of Smooth Orange and Apple, designed for larger gatherings.
Energy drinks, in particular, have seen a surge in demand.
Premium and Seasonal Innovations
Schweppes, the leading branded mixer in the UK, is leveraging its partnership with Netflix’s The Gentlemen to promote at-home cocktail making. With 59% of consumers planning to make more cocktails at home, this campaign positions Schweppes as a go-to choice for festive gatherings.
For Christmas morning, retailers should focus on coffee, juice, and smoothie options. Liz Ashdown from Tropicana Brands Group advises retailers to start their Christmas execution in early November, as juice volume peaks begin then, with orange holding the strongest share throughout the festive period.
