The Australian Government is looking to reduce the consumption of high sugar drinks in remote communities. The move comes on the back of a study published by the Menzies School of Health Research on Monday (17 May), which found income management in the Northern Territory had done little to dampen soft-drink sales. The research showed there had been an increase in the consumption of high sugar drinks in stores from October 2006 to September 2009. The research also cited reports that soft drinks... ...Read more »

Coca-Cola Amatil has hiked the price of their soft drinks by five per cent in an endeavour to protect margins in the face of soaring costs of key inputs like sugar, according to the Australian Financial Review. Australia’s largest soft drink maker is dealing with steady price increases of some of their key resource costs, including sugar and aluminium. The sugar price reached a 29-year high at the beginning of the month but has since retreated a little as markets become more volatile. And CCA... ...Read more »

The global economic downturn has presented the perfect conditions for private label products to flourish, according to a new report from beverage research agency Canadean. Private label products in the total soft drinks sector now account for over 1 in every 10 litres traded in the global marketplace. And, if you discount the on-premise sector, where private label use is marginal, then private label’s share of the market rises yet further. The rise of private label is proving to be a considerable... ...Read more »

The global market for carbonated soft drinks saw its growth rate halve in 2008, dropping from 3% in 2007 to 1.4%, but research consultants from Canadean are forecasting better times ahead with the market growth rate expected to accelerate next year. In the meantime, 2009 will see growth slow significantly as the world enters the eye of the global financial storm, according to Canadean’s recently published Global Carbonates Report. Despite the slowdown, carbonates remains King of the soft drinks... ...Read more »

America continues to debate the merits of a tax on soft drinks with regard to its impact on obesity. A recent study indicated that those who drink one or more high sugar beverages each day were 27 per cent more likely to be obese, fuelling the debate. Americans are the largest consumers of soft drinks in the world, and the average person in the country drinks almost 200 litres of sugary beverages annually. As such, concerns have been raised about the impact of soft drinks on obesity, with President... ...Read more »

Coca-Cola Amatil is set to meet their forecasts of a record profit but are still not interested in a play for Foster’s while they are anchored with a struggling wine division. Managing Director Terry Davis yesterday indicated to delegates at an American Chamber of Commerce event that his company was looking into the prospects of acquiring smaller competitors but remained aware of their size and consequent difficulties with getting regulatory approval. “I think Graeme Samuel has come out... ...Read more »

Schweppes has increased the prices of their beverages by up to 10 per cent, according to a report in The Age. Australia’s second largest soft drink beverage manufacturer will reportedly charge an extra 8-10%, representing their first price hike since 2007. Schweppes, which was purchased from Cadbury by Asahi for $1.185 million earlier this year, has denied suggestions from analysts that the rise was due to the Japanese brewing giant seeking to gain an immediate return on investment. The maker... ...Read more »

After launching their sustainability strategy one year ago the British Soft Drinks Association (BSDA) has this week reported on progress, with a number of companies already well on the way to the stated aim of a 30 per cent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2020. Innovation BSDA President and Britvic Chief Executive, Paul Moody, said the industry had made a number of innovative moves in line with consumer demands. “The soft drinks industry depends on a continual stream of new ideas,... ...Read more »

Jordan is the second country after Germany to ban Red Bull Cola. The Food and Drug Administration in Jordan (JFDA) has suspended the import of Red Bull Cola and ordered the withdrawal of all products from the market. Mohammed Rawashdeh, Director of JFDA said this decision follows after food authorities in Germany found trace amounts of cocaine in the product, causing six states to ban the product from their shelves. “Whenever we receive reports from any country regarding the withdrawal of a... ...Read more »

The soft drink sector in the UK has shown resilience to the recession, with a marginal 1.1% decline in volumes last year as convenience, health and value trends ensure strong demand.Carbonates continued to claim the largest share, according to the research from Zenith International, increasing to 42.7% of volume. Still drinks also advanced their share to 8.5%, while dilutables in ready to drink form dipped slightly to 23.4%. Steeper declines were recorded by bottled water and juice/nectars, their... ...Read more »