Summer is one of the biggest opportunities for the soft drinks category, as people are on the lookout for light, refreshing options to quench their thirst during the warmer weather. Soft drinks sales surged by 60.3% year-on-year across licenced venues to just shy of £4.6bn in 20221. And we suspect this is set to continue growing.
With the rise in the cost of living, consumers are going out to eat and drink less frequently. As a result, when they do, they are demanding more from the experience, with 88% of consumers saying that they want bars and pubs to provide them with an experience they cannot get at home2. This is particularly true of the younger generations who are more likely to value experiences over material wealth3. This means licensed operators need to develop better and more inclusive experiences that cannot be recreated at home.
One way for operators to drive footfall and boost their summer drinks sales is by tapping into popular events. This year is expected to be the biggest year for live music, paving the way for an opportunity to amplify live music moments and drive-up socialising occasions.
Operators should offer live music or a music-themed events in venue to attract customers. Pubs and bars situated near large concert venues can tap into the crowds that gather prior to seeing singers by creating pre-show food and drink menus that begin and end at set times. Tribute acts and bands can also be a good way to capitalise on the buzz of a popstar visiting a region or the UK in general.
Operators should also ensure that they are offering elevated serves to match the occasion. Cola remains the number one segment in the channel, with a value of nearly £2m, up by 59.8% since the previous year4. This presents a good opportunity for operators who should consider serving a favourite like Pepsi MAX® with a shot of vanilla Mathieu Teisseire. Recent Britvic research estimates that doing so could unlock a sales opportunity worth a whopping £123m5.
Pairing food with soft drinks, and offering attractive linked deals on menus, can enhance both value and quality perceptions. Offering clearly defined value tiers can also help encourage diners to trade up, allowing operators to drive value into their venues.
Pepsi has always been synonymous with music but this year the brand is dialling up the experience to the MAX. Making the most of the summer footfall and tapping into the nations love of festivals, Pepsi MAX®, is offering consumers the chance to win a VIP experience at either the Reading or Leeds music festival. Pepsi MAX® is now the number two diet cola brand within the licensed sector and has grown by 62.0% since the previous year6.
From now until the 6th August 2023, when purchasing a Pepsi MAX® in participating outlets, customers will be able to enter by scanning a QR code via point of sale (POS). With eight pairs of tickets up for grabs for each festival, each winner will also be provided with on-site camping, with a pre-set up tent, food and drinks vouchers, and a guided meet.
Pepsi MAX® will drive consumer awareness of the competition via pubs nationwide, through channel-specific POS kits. A total of 1,500 of the kits will be available via Britvic Sensational Drinks platform* (kits are available on a first come, first served basis).
For more information on how to drive summer soft drinks sales, please visit www.sensationaldrinks.com.
*GB 18+ only. Promotional period: 00:01 01.07.2023 until 23:59 28.07.2023. NPN. Visit the sensational drinks website to claim your free POS competition kit. 1500 POS kits available, max 1 per outlet. Registration & a valid email address are required. Visit sensationaldrinks.com for full terms and details. Promoter: Britvic Soft Drinks.
About Britvic
Britvic is an international soft drinks business rich in history and heritage. Founded in England in the 1930s, it has grown into a global organisation with 37 much-loved brands sold in over 100 countries.
The company combines its own leading brand portfolio including Fruit Shoot, Robinsons, Tango, J2O, London Essence, Teisseire and MiWadi with PepsiCo brands such as Pepsi, 7UP and Lipton Ice Tea which Britvic produces and sells in Great Britain and Ireland under exclusive PepsiCo agreements.
Britvic is the largest supplier of branded still soft drinks in Great Britain and the number two supplier of branded carbonated soft drinks in Great Britain. Britvic is an industry leader in the island of Ireland with brands such as MiWadi and Ballygowan, in France with brands such as Teisseire, Pressade and Moulin de Valdonne and in its growth market, Brazil, with Maguary, Bela Ischia and Dafruta. Britvic is growing its reach into other territories through franchising, export and licensing.
Britvic is a purpose driven organisation with a clear vision and a clear set of values. Our purpose, vision and values sit at the heart of our company, driving us forward together to create a better tomorrow. We want to contribute positively to the people and world around us. This means ensuring that our sustainable business practices, which we call Healthier People, Healthier Planet, are embedded in every element of our business strategy.
Our purpose: Enjoying life’s everyday moments
Our vision: To be the most dynamic soft drinks company, creating a better tomorrow
Our values: We care, We’re courageous, Own it, Stronger together, Act with Pace
Britvic is listed on the London Stock Exchange under the code BVIC and is a constituent of the FTSE 250 index.
Find out more at Britvic.com
1 CGA, Licensed, value data, MAT to 31.12.2022
2 KAM - Competitive Socialising - Feb 22.pdf P5
3 KAM - Competitive Socialising - Feb 22.pdf P6
4 CGA Foodservice & Licensed, Volume and Value, MAT w.e. 31.12.2022
5 CGA, November 2022, calculations based on 500m tap water occasions, trading up 10% of tap water consumers to a soft drink, or an elevated soft drink, based on a soft
drink cost of £2.52 and elevated cost of £3.75
6 CGA Foodservice & Licensed, Volume and Value, MAT w.e. 31.12.2022
