Soft drinks sales to overtake spirits
Soft drinks sales will overtake spirits within the next two years, market analysts have predicted.
New data from AC Nielsen reveals a £166m gap between the categories - a margin that could soon close if soft drinks continues the impressive 5% growth it achieved last year taking it to £2.4bn compared to £2.5bn for spirits, up 1%.
Unveiling the data at a Britvic briefing this week, AC Nielsen client team manager, James Oates said soft drinks could nudge ahead of spirits, making it the second biggest selling category in pubs after beer which brings in £11bn.
Oates added: "If soft drinks carries on at its current rate then it will eclipse spirits in a year and a half to two year's time.
"But who knows what the spirits guys will come back with."
However, the introduction of the smoking ban is expected to accelerate soft drinks sales further as more families visit pubs, Britvic's category marketing director, Andrew Marsden, said.
"As licensing reforms takes hold, pubs will be able to offer food and drink for longer. The smoking ban will also increase the family dining occasion."
While cola remains the biggest soft drinks segment in pubs, worth £966m, fruit drinks outsold pure juice products for the first time, growing by 20% to £196m verses juice's 4% rise to £186.
Britvic put the trend down to a surge in J2o sales, which was up 17% last year to £166m - the biggest leap of any top 10 soft drinks brand.
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