Refrigerants must present new sales downturn

The Brazilian market for soft drinks, which have shrank 6.1% in 2016, will close this year with a fall of 4.6%, dropping to 11.5 billion liters. The estimate is part of a study by research firm Mintel.
In values, sales rose 2.9 percent last year, to $43 billion. This year, predicting a high of 4.4% to $45 billion. This increase is explained by adjustments in the prices of beverages, accompanying inflation of food and beverage sector.
The Mintel projects consecutive falls in the consumption of soft drinks, from 5% to 6% per year until 2021, nearing the end of the period with annual sales of 9 billion liters. In revenue, the forecast is for annual increases of 2.7% and 3.7%, in line with inflation, reaching the R $51 billion in 2021.
The soft drink category answered by 56% of the market for non-alcoholic beverages in 2010, but has been losing ground every year to other drinks, especially water, ready-to-drink teas, fruit Nectars and juices ready, according to data from the Brazilian Association of industries Soft drinks and non-alcoholic drinks (Abir). In 2016, the soft drink industry participation of non alcoholic was 42% and tends to shrink in the coming years.
According to Mintel, even with the fall of the sector, the market leaders kept your stable participation in 2016: Coca-Cola topped with a slice of 68% in value and of 60.4% in volume; followed by Ambev, with 20.1% of the market value and 18.4% in volume. Heineken, with Viva Schin, had 3.2% in value and 5% in volume.
According to Mintel, the market for carbonated soft drinks lost space for other non-alcoholic beverages with healthier appeal, such as juices, coconut water and teas. Also get the space mixed drinks, as juices mixed with teas or coconut water.
The Mintel heard 1500 Brazilians aged 16 to 65 years, from all social classes and regions of the country, about their drinking habits in non alcoholic. Even in fall, the soft drinks were consumed in the last six months by 89% of consumers who have children at home and by 85% of consumers without children in their homes.
According to Mintel, most soft drinks have focused on children and teenagers, but there are opportunities to stimulate consumption among adults. An example are the juices of aerated sparkling wines grape without alcohol, already sold out of the country. The study also showed that 61% of consumers who continue taking sodas are also taking other types of carbonated flavored water with gas-like, tonic water and sparkling juice. And 46% are taking diet soda, or with low calories.
Between consumers ears by Mintel who declared have reduced the consumption of soft drinks in the past six months, 44% reported that one of the reasons was the concern about the effect on health of artificial sweeteners. To 36%, soft drinks have sugar in excess. The third reason cited was that soft drinks are very artificial (in sight of 28% of respondents). And 11% complained that the drink has a lot of gas.
The industries already respond to these concerns. Last year, 26.7% of soft drinks in Brazil had the appeal without calories or calorie reduction. In the period from October to September 2016 2017, that index rose to 36.6%.
Also began to emerge, from 2016, initiatives of small manufacturers to offer soft drinks with some functional aspect. The Mintel cites as examples the soda Pitchula (Imperial Group), enriched with vitamins B1, B3, B6, C, magnesium and zinc; and the soda Gloops (Gloops), which contains 83% of juice and is sweetened with sugar contained in fruits.
The biggest rivals also have invested in juices. Coca-Cola bought in June 2016 the brand of soy beverages Ades, Unilever, as part of the strategy to increase the supply of healthy products. Ambev bought, juices and teas, in April 2016, with the same goal. The manufacturers still invest in the replacement of sugar in soft drinks by fruit juice and stevia.
Mintel's research also revealed that 27% of consumers of soft drinks are interested in take versions of the drink with coconut water-as the sold out of Brazil. Among the respondents, 21% are interested in soft drinks with flavors of herbs, plants and roots such as ginger and Mint. Soft drinks with functional benefits were cited by 34% of consumers. And 32% of those surveyed said they are open to novelties.
The Mintel suggests that adoption of smaller packaging and tasting in supermarkets can help stimulate experimentation with new flavors.