Sugar-Free Soft Drinks

Regular cola contains 27 grams of sugar per 250 ml glass, while sugar-free soft drink counts only 1 calorie. This difference drives a fundamental shift whereby your customers choose more consciously and you, as a buyer, must anticipate this. The Health Council explicitly advises against consuming drinks with added sugars. Hospitality and retail respond smartly to this by placing sugar-free alternatives front and center.

For you, this development means concrete business advantages. Customers increasingly seek healthier options and expect you to respond to this. We show you which drivers lie behind this popularity and how you can profit from it optimally. In this way you not only create more value for your customers, but at the same time increase your own margin and market position.

Sugar-free soft drinks: light or zero make the difference for your revenue

Sugar-free soft drinks divide into two main categories that each serve their own market. Light variants contain at least 30% less sugar than the original version, while zero variants are completely sugar-free. Both use sweeteners such as aspartame (E951), acesulfame-K (E950) or stevia (E960). Light products usually work with one sweetener, zero variants combine several to achieve the authentic taste.

The figures speak volumes about the market growth. Coca-Cola Europacific Partners reports that 46% of their volume now consists of low-calorie drinks. Of all new soft drink introductions of the past decade, 6 out of 10 chose little or no sugar. Almost half of consumers see that supermarkets are expanding their light and zero offering.

Health awareness drives this demand. Three-quarters of soft drink consumers consciously reduce their sugar intake, with Gen Z leading the way: 28% drink more light and zero variants. This means that brands such as Coca-Cola Zero Sugar, Fanta Orange No Sugar and Fuze Tea No Sugar belong in your cooling as standard. Your customers expect these choices and you miss revenue when you do not have them in stock.

Why your customers are switching en masse to sugar-free soft drink

Worldwide, 82% of American consumers place wellness at the top of their priority list, in the United Kingdom this concerns 73% and in China even 87%. These conscious choices land directly in your point of sale. Dutch consumers follow this trend closely.

The Netherlands counts 50% of inhabitants with overweight and 14% with obesity. Soft drink producers responded by drastically reducing the sugar content: 34.1% fewer calories in 2022 compared to 2012, rising to a 38.2% reduction in 2024. Non-alcoholic drinks, after all, deliver 24% of all added sugars that Dutch people consume.

Buying behavior shows this shift crystal clear. 40% of soft drink consumers drink less regular soft drink than last year, against only 7% who drink more. At the same time, 48% prefer sugar-free over 46% for regular - an increase of 41% since 2021.

The tripling of the consumption tax on soft drinks from January 2024 reinforces this movement. Functional drinks with vitamins or proteins are moreover gaining ground, which offers you extra assortment opportunities. Customers expect you to anticipate their changing needs. We see that entrepreneurs who respond to this early considerably increase their competitive advantage.

Retailers and hospitality smartly anticipate this demand shift

Supermarket chains are restructuring their shelves to meet this demand. Albert Heijn tested gradual sugar reduction in private labels for cassis, lemon lime and cola whereby customers assessed the taste profile. Aldi observes a measurable shift whereby sugar-free variants increasingly get shelf space. Almost all soft drink brands in supermarkets now have a sugar-free alternative.

Producers are drastically adjusting their production strategies. Vrumona converted 64% of its total volume to low-calorie variants under 5 kcal per 100 ml. Coca-Cola Europacific Partners Nederland realizes more than 50% sales volume from sugar-free or low-calorie products. The second and third quarters successively showed 5% and 3% growth in sugar-free variants compared to 2022.

Hospitality businesses are discovering new profit opportunities. 53% of all beverage choices in hospitality now concern sugar-free soft drink. Cocktails and mocktails with products such as Royal Bliss Ginger Ale or Fuze Tea Blueberry Lavender No Sugar as mixers generate higher margins. Smaller packaging and indulgence claims moreover perform better than health claims.

When you adjust your assortment to these developments, you position yourself as a progressive partner. Customers increasingly expect these choices as a standard part of your offering.

Your next step: getting a grip on the sugar-free revolution

Sugar-free soft drink opens doors to new business possibilities. With a fresh look at your assortment, you not only create more choice for your customers, but also position yourself as a progressive partner that anticipates market developments.

Make sure you have stock of popular brands such as Coca-Cola Zero Sugar and Fuze Tea No Sugar. In this way you are assured of customer satisfaction and you avoid missed sales opportunities. When you compose cocktails and mocktails with sugar-free mixers, you moreover increase your profit margin per glass.

You can truly build on this trend. Customers now expect healthier options as standard and appreciate businesses that respond to this. In this way you build not only your revenue, but above all long-term relationships with customers who make conscious choices.