DISPATCHES FROM INTERBEV 2012, LAS VEGAS

The art of soft drinks: Euromonitor charts world consumption trends

By Ben Bouckley

- Last updated on GMT

Related tags Soft drinks Carbon dioxide

Speaking to BeverageDaily.com at InterBev in Las Vegas, Euromonitor International analysts Claire Moulin and Jonas Feliciano characterize the world’s shifting taste in soft drinks in art history terms.

Departmental research analyst Moulin explained to Ben Bouckley why the firm felt that three broad labels, (1) traditional (2) modern and (3) post-modern, each suited very different soft drinks markets worldwide.

Each stage is a sociological stage – so we’re looking at consumption patterns for each country around the world for each consumer that can vary from generation to generation, from one region of each country to another,"​ she said.

Moulin explained that ‘traditional’ markets comprise consumers who are completely new to soft drinks, and who look more to tap water, or classic hot drinks such as tea or coffee.

“Then, when incomes increase…consumers become part of that global middle class, looking for global consumption codes, global brands, moving to the cities as part of an urbanization trend,” ​she said.

Finally, you have the post-modern consumer – even more sophisticated, with a higher income, who wants to be different and unique. They want to see drinking as an identity – so they want something in terms of health, functionality, the identity of the brand that they drink.”

Feliciano, a beverages analyst at Euromonitor International, added: “In post-modern markets you see an inverse relationship between volume and value, particularly in carbonates, where carbonate volume has been in decline, the volumes are falling faster than the values. 

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