LABÈGE CEDEX, FRANCE — While sales of carbonated soft drinks account for nearly half the US refreshment beverage market in 2007, newer beverage categories, such as bottled water, are among the main growth drivers of the non-alcoholic beverage sector, according to a May 19 FLEXNEWS report.
The FLEXNEWS report, compiled from data from the Beverage Marketing Corp. (BMC), a New York-based beverage industry research firm, said that the US market for all refreshment beverages grew by 1.1 percent in 2007. However, the growth rate of US bottled water was higher.
“Bottled water’s growth continued, albeit at a slower pace than in previous years,” the BMC said in a statement to FLEXNEWS.
The BMC reported that 2007 total bottled water volume in the US increased by 6.1 percent over 2006 and accounted for a 28.7 percent share by volume of the US liquid refreshment beverage market.
PepsiCo’s Aquafina outsold Coca-Cola’s Dasani in 2007; however, Dansani led Aquafina in its growth rate from 2006 to 2007, according to the report.
The biggest growth drivers in the refreshment beverage market, ahead of bottled water, were flavored and enhanced waters, as well as ready-to-drink teas.
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