The popularity of carbonated categories that are perceived to be healthier, like sparkling mineral water and mixer drinks, is on the rise in Australia at the expense of the classic colas and lemonades, according to Roy Morgan Research.
It found in an average seven days, consumption of the latter declined from 56 per cent to 49 per cent between January 2009 and December 2013.
Unflavoured sparkling mineral water, in contrast, increased slightly (from 7 per cent to 8 per cent), while the percentage of Aussies drinking ‘mixer’ drinks such as tonic water or dry ginger ale also rose, from 10 per cent to 12 per cent.
The researcher notes, however, that these categories are consumed by far fewer people overall than Coke, Sprite, Fanta and the like, but their growth does contrast with the gradual decline of conventional soft drinks.
“As consumer preferences shift away from sugar-laden soft drinks such as colas and lemonades, and towards other ‘healthier’, more ‘natural’ sparkling beverages, we’ve seen increased marketing activity in this segment, from Liptons’ recently launched sparkling iced teas to Scarlett Johansson’s appointment as the global brand ambassador for Sodastream,” says Angela Smith, group account director, consumer products at Roy Morgan Research.
The results vary by age, however. Sparkling non-soft drinks are especially popular with the Baby Boomer generation, with 16 per cent drinking mixers and 10 per cent drinking unflavoured sparkling mineral water in an average seven-day period, while younger Y and Z generations tend to be less into mineral water and mixers and more likely to drink soft drinks than the Boomer generations, though this is also gradually declining, according to Smith.
“While younger Australians aren’t quite as keen on unflavoured sparkling mineral water and mixers as their older counterparts, the overall move to these drinks is changing the nature of the non-alcoholic beverage market,” she says. “It seems our tastes are slowly but surely evolving towards ‘lighter,’ less heavily flavoured beverages.”
To capitalise on the trend, UK-based premium natural mixers brand Fever-Tree recently launched its natural and organic range in Australia.
The brand was launched in the UK in 2005 to complement the premium spirits movement. It experienced 40 per cent growth in the UK in 2013, with annual turnover reaching £24m.
