COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE
Pocari Sweat’s share challenged by competition from companies and other formats
In 2025, Pocari Sweat (Donga Otsuka Co Ltd), Gatorade (Lotte Chilsung Beverage Co Ltd), and Powerade (Coca-Cola Korea Co Ltd) collectively maintained their dominance in sports drinks in South Korea in off-trade volume terms. However, Pocari Sweat continued to experience a decline in its share, largely due to heightened competition from rival brands.
Lotte Group's new 2% DBH launch adapts to health-focused consumers
Lotte Group not only manages the distribution of PepsiCo Inc's Gatorade in sports drinks, but also actively develops its own brand, 2% DBH. This brand is set for a significant revamp in the latter half of 2025, a strategic move that directly reflects the escalating consumer demand for low calorie and health-conscious options within the broader soft drinks category.
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Overview:
Understand the latest market trends and future growth opportunities for the Sports Drinks industry in South Korea 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.
If you're in the Sports Drinks industry in South Korea, our research will help you to make informed, intelligent decisions; to recognise and profit from opportunity, or to offer resilience amidst market uncertainty.
The Sports Drinks in South Korea 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 Sports Drinks in South Korea?
- To what extent are health considerations impacting consumption of Sports Drinks in South Korea?
- 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 Sports Drinks in South Korea?
- Which are the leading brands in Sports Drinks in South Korea?
- What potential exists for multinational or domestic soft drinks companies to expand in South Korea?
- How are products distributed in Sports Drinks in South Korea?
- 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 Sports 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?
Sports Drinks in South Korea - Category analysis
KEY DATA FINDINGS
Growth for sports drinks due to fitness trends and heatwaves
Robust growth for sports drinks in South Korea amidst evolving fitness trends
The challenge of balancing functionality and health in sports drinks
Tapping new demographics in sports drinks likely to contribute to growth
Blurring of categories, but innovation and collaborations set to drive growth
The rise of sugar-free and natural formulations in sports drinks
Pocari Sweat’s share challenged by competition from companies and other formats
Lotte Group's new 2% DBH launch adapts to health-focused consumers
Convenience stores cements its leadership in sports drinks due to on-the-go demand
Digital channels reshape South Korea's sports drinks distribution landscape
Soft Drinks in South Korea - Industry Overview
Health trends and channel shifts are reshaping soft drinks
KEY DATA FINDINGS
Health trends drive polarisation amidst static volumes
Inflation fuels shift to private label and varied pack sizes
Health-conscious consumers fuel premiumisation in soft drinks
Soft drinks embraces cultural trends for growth in South Korea
Health awareness and regulation to reshape soft drinks in South Korea
Players will move towards premiumisation, eco-packaging, and digital channels
Lotte Chilsung and Coca-Cola Drive Innovation and Health Trends
Character-led innovation drives dynamic growth for Paldo
Convenience stores is an important distribution channel due to on-the-go appeal
Retail e-commerce platforms are driving efficiency and value in soft drinks
Foodservice sees steady but sluggish recovery towards pre-pandemic levels
Fountain sales in South Korea
COUNTRY REPORTS DISCLAIMER
The following categories and subcategories are included:
Sports Drinks
- Regular Sports Drinks
- Reduced Sugar Sports Drinks
Sports Drinks
The choice of sports drink usually depends on the provision of fluids, carbohydrates or both. Included into this subsector are isotonic, hypotonic and hypertonic sports drinks. Isotonic are products that replace lost body fluids, electrolytes (sodium, potassium and chlorides) and glucose in similar concentrations to existing body fluid without causing either swelling or shrinkage of cells. These products usually contain about 5-8% carbohydrate and are intended to be consumed during exercise and/or heat exposure. Hypotonic this product is a weaker solution than your body fluid. These drinks contain less carbohydrate and therefore have lower osmolality (fewer dissolved particles than blood). These drinks help the body to speed up water absorption and are best used when you need urgent fluid replacement, as in after exercise. These drinks are not the best for energy replacement. Hypertonic - this drink is a stronger solution than your body fluid. These drinks are designed to replace and maintain energy levels during exercise of at least one hour. They are absorbed slowly and therefore are not appropriate for fluid replacement. Leading brands in off-trade volume include Gatorade, Powerade and Aquarius. This is the aggregated total of regular and reduced sugar Sports Drinks
See all of our definitionsWhy buy this report?
- Gain competitive intelligence about market leaders
- Track key industry trends, opportunities and threats
- Inform your marketing, brand, strategy and market development, sales and supply functions
This report originates from Passport, our Sports Drinks research and analysis database.
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