The COVID-19 outbreak forced a sharp lift towards working from home, with many people expected to do more frequently in the future. This increased demand for soft drinks at home will continue to benefit selected soft drink types and formats. The shift towards working from home seen during the coronavirus pandemic saw an increased demand for soft drinks at home.

35% of people think there are not enough soft drinks to cater to adults. Various soft drink brands have established themselves with an adult-focused potitioning. However, the strong sense of a dearth of options suggests that smaller brands, or established ones with a broader target audience, have the opportunity to shake up the category by bringing a sense of newness to it.

The spotlight on sustainability is expected to endure, with 62% of adults citing plastic pollution at among their top five environmental concerns. Soft drinks are often highlighted as key culprits for single-use plastic packaging, as well as bottled water, so continuing to improve their green credentials and drive awareness could prove pivotal for the market to keep consumers on side.

High interest in functional benefits from soft drinks highlights the scope for these to cement their place in people’s diets by offering benefits beyond hydration and flavour. This can go some way towards combatting widespread concerns around sugar. Immune health in particular sparks widespread interest, the topic thrust into the public spotlight by the COVID-19 outbreak.