New research from Britvic has revealed that almost half of consumers (45%) are set to buy more soft drinks this Christmas than last. Figures show that over a fifth (21%) are also planning to drink less alcohol. With 37% also planning to spend more on soft drinks at Christmas than previous years, increasing to over half (56%) of consumers aged 16-24.
The survey also revealed that of the consumers who will be drinking alcohol this Christmas over half (54%) of those that will be drinking, the tipple of choice will be spirits. With over three in five (63%) of spirits drinkers using mixers.
The results also showed that almost a quarter (21%) of consumers don’t think there are enough premium soft drinks to choose from. This increases to 27% amongst those aged 25-34 and highlights a major gap in the market that operators can fill by stocking premium ranges such as J2O Spritz to make their sales sparkle this Christmas.
Russell Goldman, Commercial Director, Licensed and Foodservice at Britvic, commented, “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.”