Soft drinks sales to boom during Christmas

Britvic has warned pub operators to be prepared for the sales surge as the figures showed that more than a fifth (21%) plan to drink less alcohol while 37% plan to spend more on soft drinks over the festive period than previous years. This will increase to over half (56%) of consumers aged 16 to 24, Britvic said.

The research of 2,000 UK adults undertaken between 20 to 23 October was conducted by Censuswide UK. It also revealed that of the consumers planning to reduce their alcohol consumption, 39% now drink less alcohol all year round, increasing to 41% in those aged 25 to 34 and to 46% in those aged 55 and over. 

The figures also revealed that for more than half (54%) of those that will be drinking alcohol this Christmas, the tipple of choice will be spirits. The results also showed that almost a quarter (21%) of consumers don’t think there are enough premium soft drinks to choose from. 

This increased to 27% among those aged 25 to 34 and, according to the drinks company, highlights a major gap in the market that operators can fill by stocking premium ranges. 

Britvic has advised licensees to ensure that they have a wide range of soft drinks and mixers to respond to these trends.

“It’s clear from our research that there’s going to be a real shift towards moderate drinking this Christmas and, as a result, there is likely to be a high demand for soft drinks throughout the season,” said Russell Goldman, commercial director, licensed and foodservice at Britvic.

“Offering a range of inspiring serves and using products like Teisseire to create sensational experiences for customers, both with and without alcohol, will enable leisure operators to cater for this peak in demand over the festive period.”