Can adult soft drinks become an acceptable alternative to alcohol and hot beverages for any occasion?

With plenty of new products and growing number of organic and low-sugar drinks - can the adults soft drinks market maintain steady growth in the future?

Will the on-and-off trades offer the adult soft drinks sector new opportunities?

Mintel last examined the adult soft drinks market in March 2000, the UK market having become established in the mid-1990s. Many of the companies active in the market are relatively small, although established multinationals - Britvic Soft Drinks and Coca-Cola Enterprises, for instance - also have a presence in this ever-expanding category. Many products can only be described as niche brands and are unlikely to take the market by storm, but still offer retailers premium profits.

Can adult soft drinks become an acceptable alternative to alcohol and hot beverages for any occasion?

With plenty of new products and growing number of organic and low-sugar drinks - can the adults soft drinks market maintain steady growth in the future?

Will the on-and-off trades offer the adult soft drinks sector new opportunities?

Mintel last examined the adult soft drinks market in March 2000, the UK market having become established in the mid-1990s. Many of the companies active in the market are relatively small, although established multinationals - Britvic Soft Drinks and Coca-Cola Enterprises, for instance - also have a presence in this ever-expanding category. Many products can only be described as niche brands and are unlikely to take the market by storm, but still offer retailers premium profits.

Soft drinks in general are grabbing an increasing share across all sectors of the beverage market, growing from around a quarter of all drinks consumption at the start of the 1990s to about a third a decade later. The market is becoming increasingly competitive, with manufacturers innovating on a regular basis as well as maintaining a contemporary image for more established brands.

Mintel considers the hypothesis that: "The adult soft drinks category is looking to expand and become an acceptable alternative to alcohol and hot beverages for any occasion."

Other Mintel reports of relevance include:

- Organic Foods, Market Intelligence, November 2001

- Sports Drinks and Supplements, Market Intelligence, August 2001

- Energy and Stimulant Drinks, Market Intelligence, July 2001

- Bottled Water, Market Intelligence, June 2001

- Carbonates, Market Intelligence, February 2001

- Fruit Juice and Juice Drinks, Market Intelligence, November 2000

and the forthcoming:

- Smoothies, Market Intelligence, February 2002

- Functional Food & Drink, Market Intelligence, March 2002.