Soft drinks trends: Overview
- Convenience-led formats such as wellness shots and energy jellies are expanding functional drinks consumption beyond traditional occasions.
- Soft drinks are targeting sleep, stress, focus and gut health alongside established energy and hydration benefits.
- Botanicals, precision fermentation and upcycled ingredients are driving innovation in flavour, function and sustainability.
- Brands are balancing wellness credentials with indulgent flavours and textured drinking experiences to boost appeal.
- Sustainable, distinctive and digitally enabled packaging is becoming a key differentiator in the category.
Soft drinks are increasingly expected to do more than quench thirst. Consumers want beverages that fit their lifestyles, deliver functional benefits and offer an enjoyable drinking experience.
Innova Market Insights identifies five areas shaping innovation in the category, from convenience and targeted nutrition to ingredients and packaging.
1. Convenience meets functionality
As consumers look to incorporate health and nutrition into busy lifestyles, convenient beverage formats are creating opportunities for brands. Portable products can bring functional benefits into everyday routines and extend consumption beyond traditional occasions.
According to Innova, 29% of global consumers say on-the-go formats are important when choosing a snack. Energy jellies and health shots are among the formats catering to this demand.
In the UK, brands including Moju and The Turmeric Co have built their propositions around wellness shots, while Plenish has expanded its plant-based drinks portfolio to include gut health shots. Brands are also exploring products for specific nutritional and life-stage needs, from toddler nutrition to menstruation and menopause.
2. Functional benefits go beyond refreshment
Functional beverages are moving beyond familiar benefits such as energy and hydration, with opportunities emerging around sleep, stress management and cognitive health.
Innova identifies sleep as consumers’ number one physical health concern, while focus and stress are among the leading mental health areas consumers have used food and drink to address. There is also demand for energy and cognitive support without the jitters or crashes associated with some products.
The research points to opportunities around gut health, metabolism and mindfulness, positioning beverages as part of consumers’ wider wellness routines.
3. Botanicals and alternative ingredients offer differentiation
Botanicals, precision fermentation and upcycled ingredients are giving soft drinks manufacturers new ways to innovate, combining functional benefits with flavour and sustainability propositions.
Innova reports that 46% of global consumers are actively including more botanicals in their diets. Pairing less conventional botanicals with familiar fruits, herbs and spices can help brands create distinctive flavour profiles.
Precision fermentation could also enable ingredients traditionally derived from animals or facing supply constraints to be produced in alternative ways. Innova highlights vegan collagen and omega-7 as examples.
Meanwhile, upcycled ingredients offer manufacturers an opportunity to turn food waste into valuable inputs, supporting product innovation and sustainability goals.
4. Indulgence and texture remain important
While functionality is becoming an increasingly important part of beverage innovation, taste and enjoyment remain essential. Brands are bringing indulgent flavours and more adventurous textures into soft drinks to deliver a more distinctive drinking experience.
Innova found that 57% of global consumers look for interesting texture combinations in indulgent food and drink. For manufacturers, this creates opportunities to experiment with contrasting textures, from silky inclusions to fruit-filled toppings and bubble-like additions.
Familiar flavours can also be translated into new beverage formats, creating products for different occasions, from afternoon pick-me-ups to indulgent treats. The challenge is balancing functional credentials with the flavour and sensory appeal that encourage repeat consumption.
5. Packaging becomes part of the proposition
Packaging is doing more than protecting and transporting soft drinks. It is working harder to help brands attract attention, communicate product benefits and demonstrate sustainability credentials.
According to Innova, 54% of global consumers say recycling is very important, creating opportunities for manufacturers to explore recyclable, plastic-free, bio-based and refillable materials.
Unconventional pack shapes, distinctive designs and limited editions can also help products stand out. Energy drinks brands such as Monster and Tenzing, for example, have developed instantly recognisable packaging that helps reinforce their brand identities. Digital labelling is another area of development, giving consumers easier access to product information while helping brands respond to regulatory requirements.
What’s next for soft drinks?
Innova expects wellness innovation to expand further into beauty and mental wellbeing, with nutrients traditionally associated with supplements increasingly appearing in drinkable formats. Calm, focus and personalised nutrition are also emerging opportunities.
For manufacturers, the challenge will be meeting these evolving expectations without losing sight of the convenience, flavour and enjoyment at the heart of the category.
