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Soft Drink Production in the UK - Market Research Report (2014-2029)

Timilehin Atere Timilehin Atere London, United Kingdom Last Updated: September 2024 SIC SP0.126

Revenue

£9.6bn

2024-25

£9.6bn

Past 5-Year Growth

Profit

£XXX.Xm

Employees

12,895

Businesses

0

Wages

£XXX.Xm

Soft Drink Production in the UK industry analysis

Soft drink production has undergone innovation in recent years thanks to the expanding range of low or no-calorie drinks. Increasingly health- and eco-conscious consumers and new regulations regarding sugar content levels are shaping brand and product innovation efforts, with more companies investing in zero-sugar fizzy drinks while still maintaining a tasty drink.

Trends and Insights

  • Consumer confidence boosts fizzy drink consumption. With a significant rise in economic conditions, folks are hitting up restaurants and fast food joints more often, naturally leading to more soft drinks being enjoyed at these venues.
  • Cola remains on top. Popular drinks Coca-Cola and Pepsi (and their lower-sugar varieties) have a tight grip on the market, though own-brand varieties are popular too. However, growing health consciousness is picking away at cola sales.
  • London’s on-the-go market makes it popular. The capital is home to the joint-highest share of the UK population, meaning the potential for sales is huge. It’s also got a lot of hospitality establishments for producers to sell to.
  • Strong branding gives producers a huge competitive edge. Just look at the popularity of well-known brands like Coca-Cola and Pepsi – these companies have built up their names well and instilled a huge level of customer loyalty.

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  • Market estimates from 2014-2029
  • Critical performance data and rankings
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Industry Statistics and Trends

Market size and recent performance (2014-2029)

Industry revenue has grown at a CAGR of 1.9 % over the past five years, to reach an estimated £9.6bn in 2024.

Trends and Insights

Increased consumer confidence lifts demand via the on-trade segment

  • Fizzy drinks producers rely heavily on the on-trade sector, from gourmet restaurants to fast food joints like McDonald's and KFC. Often integral parts of these outlets' menus, beverages like Coca-Cola and Pepsi play a key role in these establishments.
  • Additional trends and insights available with purchase
Soft Drink Production in the UK
Revenue (2014-2029)
IBISWorld Logo Source: IBISWorld

Industry outlook (2024-2029)

Market size is projected to grow over the next five years.

Trends and Insights

Interest rate cuts spark investment surges for soft drinks

  • The Bank of England cut interest rates for the first time since 2020 in August 2024. This can improve the future health of soft drink producers by boosting investment activity and aiding productivity.

Biggest companies in the Soft Drink Production in the UK

Company
Market Share (%)
2025
Revenue (£m)
2025
Coca-Cola Europacific Partners Great Britain Ltd
2,512.5
Britvic plc
782.4
A G Barr plc
315.3

To view the market share and analysis for all 7 top companies in this industry, view purchase options.

Products & Services Segmentation

Soft Drink Production in the UK
Products & Services
IBISWorld Logo Source: IBISWorld

Industry revenue is measured across several distinct product and services lines, including Cola , Fruit-flavoured soft drinks and Tonic, mixers, bitters and other products. Cola is the largest segment of the Soft Drink Production in the UK.

Trends and Insights

Cola remains a household favourite

  • Cola first became popular in 1886 after pharmacist John Pemberton invented Coca-Cola, a non-alcoholic recipe inspired by coca wine. This product segment also includes low-sugar, sugar-free and flavoured cola varieties.
  • More insights available in the full report

Table of Contents

About this industry

Industry definition

Companies in the Soft Drink Production industry produce fizzy beverages. They add carbonated water to soft drink concentrate or syrup, which is then bottled, capped and labelled. The industry also includes flavoured fizzy waters. Energy drinks are excluded from the industry.

What's included in this industry?

ColaFruit-flavoured soft drinksTonicMixersBittersLemonade

Companies

Coca-Cola Europacific Partners Great Britain LtdBritvic plc A G Barr plc

Purchase this report to view all 7 major companies in this industry.

Related Terms

CARBONATEDMIXERSTEVIAPET BOTTLEGCC (GULF COOPERTATION COUNCIL)

Industry Code

SIC 2007

SIC 11.07 - Soft Drink Production in the UK

Performance

Get an indication of the industry's health through historical, current and forward-looking trends in the performance indicators that make or break businesses.

Analyst insights

Consumer confidence boosts fizzy drink consumption. With a significant rise in economic conditions, folks are hitting up restaurants and fast food joints more often, naturall...

In this chapter (4)

  • Current Performance
  • Outlook
  • Volatility
  • Life Cycle

Key metrics

  • Annual Revenue, Recent Growth, Forecast, Revenue Volatility
  • Number of Employees, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Employee
  • Number of Businesses, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Business
  • Total Profit, Profit Margin, Profit per Business

Charts

  • Revenue, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Employees, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Businesses, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Profit, including historical (2014-2024)
  • Industry Volatility vs. Revenue Growth
  • Industry Life Cycle

Detailed analysis

  • Trends in supply, demand and current events that are driving current industry performance
  • Expected trends, economic factors and ongoing events that drive the industry's outlook
  • Key success factors for businesses to overcome volatility
  • How contribution to GDP, industry saturation, innovation, consolidation, and technology and systems influence the industry's life cycle phase.

Products and Markets

Learn about an industry's products and services, markets and trends in international trade.

Analyst insight

Cola remains on top. Popular drinks Coca-Cola and Pepsi (and their lower-sugar varieties) have a tight grip on the market, though own-brand varieties are popular too. However...

In this chapter

  • Products & Services
  • Major Markets
  • International Trade

Key metrics

  • Largest market segment and value in 2024
  • Product innovation level
  • Total imports, level and trend
  • Total exports, level and trend
  • Trade Balance

Charts

  • Products & services segmentation in 2024
  • Major market segmentation in 2024
  • International trade, including imports by country and exports by country

Detailed analysis

  • Trends impacting the recent performance of the industry's various segments
  • Innovations in the industry's product or service offering, specialization or delivery method
  • Key factors that successful businesses consider in their offerings
  • Buying segments and key trends influencing demand for industry products and services
  • Recent trends in import and export volumes, country of origin or destination, and expected future trends

Geographic Breakdown

Discover where business activity is most concentrated in an industry and the factors driving these trends to find opportunities and conduct regional benchmarking.

Analyst insights

London’s on-the-go market makes it popular. The capital is home to the joint-highest share of the UK population, meaning the potential for sales is huge. It’s also got a lot ...

In this chapter (1)

  • Business Locations

Charts

  • Share of revenue, establishment, wages and employment in each region
  • Share of population compared to establishments in each region in 2024

Tables

  • Number and share of establishments in each region in 2024
  • Number and share of revenue each region accounts for in 2024
  • Number and share of wages each region accounts for in 2024
  • Number and share of employees in each region in 2024

Detailed analysis

  • Geographic spread of the industry across Europe, and trends associated with changes in the business landscape
  • Key success factors for businesses to use location to their advantage

Competitive Forces

Get data and insights on what's driving competition in an industry and the challenges industry operators and new entrants may face, with analysis built around Porter's Five Forces framework.

Analyst insights

Strong branding gives producers a huge competitive edge. Just look at the popularity of well-known brands like Coca-Cola and Pepsi – these companies have built up their names...

In this chapter (4)

  • Concentration
  • Barriers to Entry
  • Substitutes
  • Buyer & Supplier Analysis

Key metrics

  • Industry concentration level
  • Industry competition level and trend
  • Barriers to entry level and trend
  • Substitutes level and trend
  • Buyer power level and trend
  • Supplier power level and trend

Charts

  • Market share concentration among the top 4 suppliers from 2019-2024
  • Supply chain including upstream supplying industries and downstream buying industries, flow chart

Detailed analysis

  • Factors impacting the industry’s level of concentration, such as business distribution, new entrants, or merger and acquisition activity.
  • Key success factors for businesses to manage the competitive environment of the industry.
  • Challenges that potential industry entrants face such as legal, start-up costs, differentiation, labor/capital intensity and capital expenses.
  • Key success factors for potential entrants to overcome barriers to entry.
  • Competitive threats from potential substitutes for the industry’s own products and services.
  • Key success factors for how successful businesses can compete with substitutes.
  • Advantages that buyers have to keep favorable purchasing conditions.
  • Advantages that suppliers have to maintain favorable selling conditions.
  • Key success factors for how businesses can navigate buyer and supplier power.

Companies

Learn about the performance of the top companies in the industry.

Analyst insights

Coca-Cola’s brand loyalty gives it a competitive edge. Coca-Cola has raised its prices to mitigate against growing costs from inflation and various supply chain disruptions. ...

In this chapter

  • Market Share Concentration
  • Companies
  • Company Spotlights

Charts

  • Industry market share by company in 2020 through 2024
  • Major companies in the industry, including market share, revenue, profit and profit margin in 2024
  • Overview of Coca-Cola Europacific Partners Great Britain Ltd's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2018 through 2024
  • Overview of Britvic plc 's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2018 through 2024
  • Overview of A G Barr plc's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2018 through 2024
  • Overview of revenue, market share and profit margin trend for 4 additional companies

Detailed analysis

  • Description and key data for Coca-Cola Europacific Partners Great Britain Ltd, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description and key data for Britvic plc , and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description and key data for A G Barr plc, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description, key data and performance trends for 4 additional companies

External Environment

Understand the demographic, economic and regulatory factors that shape how businesses in an industry perform.   

Analyst insights

The sugar tax marks a big recent change. Brought in in 2018, its aim to incentivise producers to cut the sugar content of their drinks, as well as put people off their more s...

In this chapter

  • External Drivers
  • Regulation & Policy
  • Assistance

Key metrics

  • Regulation & policy level and trend
  • Assistance level and trend

Charts

  • Regulation & Policy historical data and forecast (2014-2029) 
  • Assistance historical data and forecast (2014-2029) 

Detailed analysis

  • Demographic and macroeconomic factors influencing the industry, including Regulation & Policy and Assistance
  • Major types of regulations, regulatory bodies, industry standards or specific regulations impacting requirements for industry operators
  • Key governmental and non-governmental groups or policies that may provide some relief for industry operators.

Financial Benchmarks

View average costs for industry operators and compare financial data against an industry's financial benchmarks over time. 

Analyst insights

Health trends boost low/no-sugar soft drink market. With low/no calorie drinks making up 70% of UK carbonated soft drinks, improved on-trade performance and major events like...

In this chapter

  • Cost Structure
  • Financial Ratios
  • Key Ratios

Key metrics

  • Profit margin, and how it compares to the sector-wide margin
  • Average wages, and how it compares to the sector-wide average wage
  • Largest cost component as a percentage of revenue
  • Industry average ratios for days' receivables, industry coverage and debt-to-net-worth ratio

Charts

  • Average industry operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2024
  • Average sector operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2024
  • Investment vs. share of economy

Data tables

  • Liquidity Ratios (2018-2022)
  • Coverage Ratios (2018-2022)
  • Leverage Ratios  (2018-2022)
  • Operating Ratios (2018-2022)
  • Assets (2018-2022)
  • Liabilities (2018-2022)
  • Cash Flow & Debt Service Ratios (2014-2029)
  • Revenue per Employee (2014-2029)
  • Revenue per Enterprise (2014-2029)
  • Employees per Establishment (2014-2029)
  • Employees per Enterprise (2014-2029)
  • Average Wage (2014-2029)
  • Wages/Revenue (2014-2029)
  • Establishments per Enterprise (2014-2029)
  • IVA/Revenue (2014-2029)
  • Imports/Demand (2014-2029)
  • Exports/Revenue (2014-2029)

Detailed analysis

  • Trends in the cost component for industry operators and their impact on industry costs and profitability 

Key Statistics

Industry Data

Data Tables

Including values and annual change:

  • Revenue (2014-2029)
  • IVA (2014-2029)
  • Establishments (2014-2029)
  • Enterprises (2014-2029)
  • Employment (2014-2029)
  • Exports (2014-2029)
  • Imports (2014-2029)
  • Wages (2014-2029)

Top Questions Answered

Unlock comprehensive answers and precise data upon purchase. View purchase options.

What is the market size of the Soft Drink Production in the UK industry in United Kingdom in 2024?

The market size of the Soft Drink Production in the UK industry in United Kingdom is £9.6bn in 2024.

How many businesses are there in the Soft Drink Production in the UK industry in 2024?

There are 0 businesses in the Soft Drink Production in the UK industry in United Kingdom, which has declined at a CAGR of 100.0 % between 2019 and 2024.

Has the Soft Drink Production in the UK industry in United Kingdom grown or declined over the past 5 years?

The market size of the Soft Drink Production in the UK industry in United Kingdom has been growing at a CAGR of 1.9 % between 2019 and 2024.

What is the forecast growth of the Soft Drink Production in the UK industry in United Kingdom over the next 5 years?

Over the next five years, the Soft Drink Production in the UK industry in United Kingdom is expected to grow.

What are the biggest companies in the Soft Drink Production in the UK market in United Kingdom?

The biggest companies operating in the Soft Drink Production market in United Kingdom are Coca-Cola Europacific Partners Great Britain Ltd, Britvic plc and A G Barr plc

What does the Soft Drink Production in the UK in United Kingdom include?

Cola and Fruit-flavoured soft drinks are part of the Soft Drink Production in the UK industry.

Which companies have the highest market share in the Soft Drink Production in the UK in United Kingdom?

The company holding the most market share in United Kingdom is Coca-Cola Europacific Partners Great Britain Ltd.

How competitive is the Soft Drink Production in the UK industry in United Kingdom?

The level of competition is high and increasing in the Soft Drink Production in the UK industry in United Kingdom.

Related Industries

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Complementors

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Methodology

How are IBISWorld reports created?

IBISWorld has been a leading provider of trusted industry research for over 50 years to the most successful companies worldwide. With offices in Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany and China, we are proud to have local teams of analysts that conduct research, data analysis and forecasting to produce data-driven industry reports.

Our analysts start with official, verified and publicly available sources of data to build the most accurate picture of each industry. Analysts then leverage their expertise and knowledge of the local markets to synthesize trends into digestible content for IBISWorld readers. Finally, each report is reviewed by one of IBISWorld’s editors, who provide quality assurance to ensure accuracy and readability.

IBISWorld relies on human-verified data and human-written analysis to compile each standard industry report. We do not use generative AI tools to write insights, although members can choose to leverage AI-based tools within the platform to generate additional analysis formats.

What data sources do IBISWorld analysts use?

Each industry report incorporates data and research from government databases, industry-specific sources, industry contacts, and our own proprietary database of statistics and analysis to provide balanced, independent and accurate insights.

Key data sources in the UK include:

  • Office for National Statistics
  • Office for Budget Responsibility
  • Bank of England

Analysts also use industry specific sources to complement catch-all sources, although their perspective may focus on a particular organization or representative body, rather than a clear overview of all industry operations. However, when balanced against other perspectives, industry-specific sources provide insights into industry trends.

These sources include:

  • Industry and trade associations
  • Industry federations or regulators
  • Major industry players annual or quarterly filings

Finally, IBISWorld’s global data scientists maintain a proprietary database of macroeconomic and demand drivers, which our analysts use to help inform industry data and trends. They also maintain a database of statistics and analysis on thousands of industries, which has been built over our more than 50-year history and offers comprehensive insights into long-term trends.

How does IBISWorld forecast its data?

IBISWorld’s analysts and data scientists use the sources above to create forecasts for our proprietary datasets and industry statistics. Depending on the dataset, they may use regression analysis, multivariate analysis, time-series analysis or exponential smoothing techniques to project future data for the industry or driver. Additionally, analysts will leverage their local knowledge of industry operating and regulatory conditions to impart their best judgment on the forecast model.

IBISWorld prides itself on being a trusted, independent source of data, with over 50 years of experience building and maintaining rich datasets and forecasting tools. We are proud to be the keystone source of industry information for thousands of companies across the world.

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