Soft drinks sees modest growth amidst health trends, channel shifts, and price rises
Off-trade volume sales of soft drinks saw modest growth in 2025, with value sales rising due to price increases. Reduced sugar carbonates, bottled water, and energy drinks saw growth, while juice, RTD tea, and sports drinks declined. Demand for reduced sugar products surged despite the postponement of the sugar tax. Growth is expected moving forward, with functionality and wellness key trends, with innovation in functional water and protein-enriched drinks. San Benedetto led in volume terms in 2025, and Coca-Cola in value terms. Supermarkets remained the distribution leader, but vending and retail e-commerce were the most dynamic, benefiting from busy lifestyles. On-trade sales continued to struggle, remaining below pre-pandemic levels.
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Overview:
Understand the latest market trends and future growth opportunities for the Soft Drinks industry in Italy with research from Euromonitor International's team of in-country analysts – experts by industry and geographic specialisation.
Key trends are clearly and succinctly summarised alongside the most current research data available. Understand and assess competitive threats and plan corporate strategy with our qualitative analysis, insight and confident growth projections.
Data and analysis in this report provides further detailed coverage dedicated to the following key categories, where applicable:
- Bottled Water
- Carbonates
- Concentrates
- Juice
- RTD Coffee
- RTD Tea
- Energy Drinks
- Sports Drinks
- Asian Speciality Drinks
If you're in the Soft Drinks industry in Italy, our research will help you to make informed, intelligent decisions; to recognise and profit from opportunity, or to offer resilience amidst market uncertainty.
The Soft Drinks in Italy report includes:
- Analysis of key supply-side and demand trends
- Detailed segmentation of international and local products
- Historic volume and value sizes, company and brand market shares
- Five year forecasts of market trends and market growth
- Robust and transparent research methodology, conducted in-country
This report answers:
- What is the market size of Soft Drinks in Italy?
- To what extent are health considerations impacting consumption of Soft Drinks in Italy?
- How are changing social attitudes and legislation (eg sugar tax) reshaping demand and consumption?
- How are changing demographics (for example, an ageing or predominantly young population) determining consumption of Soft Drinks in Italy?
- Which are the leading brands in Soft Drinks in Italy?
- What potential exists for multinational or domestic soft drinks companies to expand in Italy?
- How are products distributed in Soft Drinks in Italy?
- How is the rise of e-commerce changing the retail and competitive landscape?
- How have home seclusion and social distancing measures following COVID-19 impacted sales of Soft Drinks?
- How are sustainability issues, such as environmentally-friendly packaging, legislation on recyclability, or the amount of plastic in bottles, impacting the soft drinks industry?
- Where is future growth expected to be most dynamic?
Soft Drinks in Italy
Soft drinks sees modest growth amidst health trends, channel shifts, and price rises
KEY DATA FINDINGS
Mixed fortunes, with health trends and competition reshaping soft drinks
Demand for reduced sugar products surges despite sugar tax postponement
Functionality and wellness drive innovation in soft drinks, reshaping the dynamics
Energy drinks and functional bottled water to drive modest growth
Italian sugar tax set to reshape soft drinks, driving a shift to reduced sugar options
Functionality and premiumisation set to dominate soft drinks trends
San Benedetto leads in volume terms, while Coca-Cola leads value sales
waterdrop revitalises powder concentrates with dynamic innovation and health focus
Supermarkets retains its lead in soft drinks through promotions and product range
Busy lifestyles fuel rapid growth in vending and retail e-commerce in soft drinks
“Poveritivo” and price sensitivity: On-trade adapts to challenging economic climate
Fountain sales in Italy
Trends
COUNTRY REPORTS DISCLAIMER
Bottled Water in Italy
KEY DATA FINDINGS
Bottled water grows by meeting evolving consumer demands
Health, value, and strongly sparkling variants propel sales of bottled water
Flavoured and functional bottled water drive growth and innovation
Modest growth forecast amidst maturity and shifting consumer habits
Emotional resonance and wellness will be important in bottled water marketing
More sophisticated consumer demand to fuel surge in functional bottled water
Fonti di Vinadio and private label shape the bottled water landscape
Smaller players see a surge, while Fonti di Vinadio innovates for growth
Supermarkets holds ground as discounters gains share in bottled water distribution
Vending and retail e-commerce see dynamic growth in bottled water distribution
Carbonates in Italy
KEY DATA FINDINGS
Value growth amidst volume stability, driven by health and premiumisation
Navigating health trends to achieve value growth despite volume stability
Reduced sugar variants are reshaping the carbonates landscape
Sugar tax and out-of-home shift to drive off-trade volume decline
Authenticity and local sourcing drive to innovation in carbonates
Carbonates poised for premiumisation as consumer spending recovers
Pricing strategy costs Coca-Cola HBC Italia share in carbonates
Pepsi Max fuels PepsiCo's strong growth, overcoming previous distribution hurdles
Supermarkets solidifies its lead as the strategy of one discounter falters
Vending leads channel growth in carbonates, driven by on-the-go consumption
Concentrates in Italy
KEY DATA FINDINGS
Innovation drives growth for powder concentrates amidst decline for liquid
Liquid concentrates face health scrutiny and generational gap
Innovation fuels growth for powder concentrates
Divergent fortunes expected for liquid and powder concentrates
Beyond traditional concentrates, new technologies and competitors set to emerge
Eco-conscious choices could drive value for concentrates
Ristora leads powder concentrates, while traditional brand Fabbri sees share decline
waterdrop Microdrink GmbH reshapes the concentrates landscape
Planned purchases and new brands fuel lead of supermarkets in concentrates
Social media and busy lifestyles fuel growth for retail e-commerce in concentrates
Concentrates conversions
Juice in Italy
KEY DATA FINDINGS
Decline driven by health concerns and rising prices, with nectars performing poorly
Price hikes and health concerns drive decline for juice in 2025
Price and health claims impact key categories
Continued decline forecast for juice amidst health concerns and competition
Players expected to prioritise no added sugar and reformulation amidst health trends
Aiming to capture energy-seeking consumers with functional innovations
Yoga propels Conserve Italia to share growth in juice
Strategic moves by CoGeDi, Fonti di Vinadio, and San Benedetto reshape juice
Strategic offerings and promotions bolster the lead of supermarkets in juice
Demand for convenience drives dynamic growth for retail e-commerce in juice
RTD Coffee in Italy
KEY DATA FINDINGS
RTD coffee surges amidst youth demand, despite traditional culture
Despite rising prices, RTD coffee surges as young consumers embrace convenience
Italian coffee culture limits RTD coffee's mainstream appeal despite solid growth
Sustained growth expected, moderated by channel shift and increasing maturity
RTD coffee in Italy to embrace energy and functional formulations
Arla Foods maintains its lead with Starbucks through strategic expansion
RTD coffee attracts new players and formulations amidst dynamic demand
Entry of Starbucks in supermarkets fuels share growth for the leading channel
On-the-go lifestyles fuel strongest growth for convenience stores in RTD coffee
RTD Tea in Italy
KEY DATA FINDINGS
RTD tea faces headwinds due to competition and health trends
Competition and health concerns drive decline for RTD tea
Growth in reduced sugar RTD tea tempered by concerns about artificial sweeteners
Value growth expected despite volume decline as manufacturer re-engage
Lipton Ice Tea's "Tea Changes Everything" campaign in the Italian market
Kombucha poised for growth in the health-conscious Italian market
San Benedetto continues to lead RTD tea while Ferrero prioritises volume over value
Santhè leads growth in RTD tea with a dynamic clean-label strategy
Supermarkets retains its distribution lead, yet suffers from actual sales decline
Convenience and delivery drive resilience for retail e-commerce in RTD tea
Energy Drinks in Italy
KEY DATA FINDINGS
Growth in energy drinks driven by innovation and channel expansion
Busy lifestyles and innovation drive robust volume growth for energy drinks
Sales of reduced sugar variants surge, but regular energy drinks remains dominant
Innovation and lifestyles to drive robust growth in energy drinks
Future-proofing energy drinks through formula and packaging innovation
Healthier alternatives like functional bottled water set to challenge energy drinks
Red Bull leads energy drinks with premium strategy, marketing, and innovation
Monster Energy's portfolio and formats drive gains for Coca-Cola
Supermarkets leads with promotions and an extensive product range
Red Bull drives vending boom as energy drinks matures in other channels
Sports Drinks in Italy
KEY DATA FINDINGS
Premiumisation masks volume decline in sports drinks amidst health concerns
Prime Hydration drives value growth while health concerns and competition impact volumes
Sports drinks manufacturers prepare for sugar tax with zero sugar products
Value growth to slow as competition intensifies and Prime Hydration's impact fades
High protein claims likely to emerge to revitalise sports drinks
San Benedetto and Coca-Cola gain share as Gatorade falters
Prime Hydration's strategic marketing and distribution drive share growth in Italy
Supermarkets retains its distribution lead in sports drinks despite shrinking shelf space and volume decline
Vending and retail e-commerce outperform in a challenging environment
COUNTRY REPORTS DISCLAIMER
The following categories and subcategories are included:
Soft Drinks
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- Carbonated Natural Mineral Bottled Water
- Carbonated Spring Bottled Water
- Carbonated Purified Bottled Water
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- Still Flavoured Bottled Water
- Sparkling Flavoured Bottled Water
- Functional Bottled Water
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- Still Natural Mineral Bottled Water
- Still Spring Bottled Water
- Still Purified Bottled Water
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- Regular Carbonates
- Reduced Sugar Carbonates
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- Regular Cola Carbonates
- Reduced Sugar Cola Carbonates
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- Regular Non-Cola Carbonates
- Reduced Sugar Non-Cola Carbonates
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- Regular Lemonade/Lime
- Reduced Sugar Lemonade/Lime
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- Regular Tonic Water/Mixers/Other Bitters
- Reduced Sugar Tonic Water/Mixers/Other Bitters
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- Regular Orange Carbonates
- Reduced Sugar Orange Carbonates
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- Regular Other Non-Cola Carbonates
- Reduced Sugar Other Non-Cola Carbonates
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- Liquid Concentrates
- Powder Concentrates
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- Not from Concentrate 100% Juice
- Reconstituted 100% Juice
- Coconut and Other Plant Waters
- Juice Drinks (up to 24% Juice)
- Nectars
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- RTD Coffee
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- Carbonated RTD Tea and Kombucha
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- Regular Still RTD Tea
- Reduced Sugar Still RTD Tea
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- Regular Energy Drinks
- Reduced Sugar Energy Drinks
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- Regular Sports Drinks
- Reduced Sugar Sports Drinks
- Asian Speciality Drinks
Soft Drinks
This is the aggregation of the following categories; Carbonates, Fruit/vegetable juice, Bottled water, Functional drinks, Concentrates, RTD tea, RTD coffee and Asian speciality drinks.
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This report originates from Passport, our Soft Drinks research and analysis database.
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