U.S. Soft Drink Sales Decline Eases

All but two of the top 10 beverage brands suffered sales declines.

March 29, 2010

NEW YORK - U.S. carbonated soft drink sales fell 2.1 percent last year, it??s smallest dip since 2006, according to Beverage Digest, a reflection of soda??s relatively low price that attracted budget-conscious consumers, Reuters reports.

Overall sales volume decreased by 9.4 billion cases, similar to 1996 levels, for a retail dollar value of $73.9 billion, a 1.6 percent increase.

Beverage leaders Coca-Cola Co and PepsiCo Inc. experienced sales volume drops last year with carbonated beverages, with Coke down 3.9 percent and Pepsi down 5 percent.

Dr Pepper Snapple Group Inc., the number three beverage maker, experienced a 4.8 percent sales increase that Beverage Digest attributed to the company??s Crush brand rollout into Pepsi??s distribution system and the launch of Dr Pepper Cherry.

Coke remained the nation??s top-selling soft drink with a 17 percent market share, with Pepsi-Cola and Diet Coke locked into a virtual tie at number two, each with a 10 percent share. Among the nation??s top 10 brands, only Diet Dr Pepper and Diet Mountain Dew posted volume growth.

Energy drinks and private label drinks overall fared well, with Red Bull, Hansen Natural Corp. and Cott Corp. reporting sales growth.

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