Drinking to good health
Rising consumer interest in health and naturalness is being strongly reflected in new product activity in the global soft drinks market, according to Innova Market Insights. According to the market research company, 60% of the soft drinks launches recorded globally in 2010 had a health positioning of some sort. This was primarily in terms of ‘passive health’, although over 20% of products were launched with an active health message of some kind.
“Interest in health is clearly not the only factor driving soft drinks product activity, but it has become highly significant in indicating potential future market directions, both globally and regionally,” explains LuAnn Williams, head of research at Innova Market Insights. “While hydration and refreshment remain key to the market, many traditional soft drinks categories, such as carbonates, are maturing and there is rising interest in newer, often higher-value-added lines offering additional benefits, which increasingly seem to include healthier options.”
