Soft drinks - juices & smoothies 2024: juices dry up as own label prices rocket

Juices & smoothies volumes have drained away. The category is down 52.7 million litres – the biggest absolute decline of any soft drinks sector.

This misfortune is largely down to own label, which has suffered an 8% volume loss. That’s 58.9 million fewer litres. A key reason was a 13.3% rise in average price per litre, says Angela Yang, NIQ analytics executive.

Brands, on the other hand, have grown volumes a modest 1.3%. But not all performances have been positive. In the top 10, Tropicana, Robinsons and Capri-Sun have shed a combined 19.9 million litres. Higher prices have played a part here, too.

For Tropicana, matters aren’t as severe as they might seem, despite a £22.1m loss. The brand is slowly recovering from a harrowing 2023. Part of its strategy has been launching a raft of NPD to satisfy all budgets.

“We are conscious that some consumers will be seeking cheaper alternatives and we do offer ranges within our portfolio that are more accessible, such as the Tropicana ambient 100% Juices and Tropicana Rise & Shine Juice drinks,” says Elizabeth Ashdown, Tropicana Brands Group UK&I Marketing director.

Another point in Tropicana’s favour is its relisting by Co-op in June – more than a year after the retailer dropped the brand. 

Wider distribution is undoubtedly a plus point for brands. The right formats are also crucial, stress the makers of Mogu Mogu, a fruit drink containing coconut gel.

“Single formats have been our heartland,” says brand owner Asco’s sales & marketing director Ash Chadha. “But there’s been an increase in consumption at home, and multipack and larger bottle formats are perceived to be better value.

“So we’ve made our lineup of drinks available in packs of six 320ml bottles, as well as in family-size one-litre bottles.”

It seems to have done the trick. Mogu Mogu has registered a £4.7m gain on volumes up 52.3%. “Offering a wider selection certainly appears to be paying dividends and has allowed us to move seamlessly from gaining a huge following in convenience to creating major multiple listings,” Chadha adds.

For market leader Innocent, healthy reformulation has been front of mind. The brand has grown volumes 16.3% after slashing the sugar content of its Juicy Water range by a fifth in April.

Similar moves can be expected in 2025. “Next year, we have some exciting plans, ranging from the kids space to the health benefits space,” says Innocent UK MD John Taylor. “Whether that be gut health or immunity, we know these are growing trends we absolutely need to be a part of to maintain relevance with our drinkers.”

Read more: Soft drinks - juices & smoothies 2023: Tropicana crashes as Moju soars