Functional drinks in the United Kingdom - statistics & facts
Fermentation, which has long existed in human history, is one of the biggest trends in the current functional beverages market. In the United Kingdom, the sales value of fermented beverages reached approximately 925 billion British pounds. In the past decade, it was only higher in 2021. Kombucha, ginger beer, kefir and kvass, for example, are fermented beverages. In the functional beverage market, they are considered to be beneficial for health, said to reduce the risk of some types of cancer, help maintain weight, and ensure gut health.
The market for functional drinks is very diverse and has actually been around for a while. Today it is particularly important because consumers are very focused on their health and therefore the need for easily and quickly available functional drinks is a given.
Coffee - the wake-up call
It seems obvious, but "classics" like coffee also belong to the category of functional drinks. In July 2024, a survey found out that over 50 percent of respondents in the United Kingdom considered the regular consumption of caffeine not very harmful, while 17 percent considered it fairly harmful. Only four percent of respondents found caffeine very harmful. Caffeine is said to have several functions. It can keep someone awake, may improve moods, reduce the likelihood of depression, stimulate brain function, and protect against Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. The British coffee market generated increasing revenues over the past decade and achieved a value of almost nine billion British pounds by 2024. That same year, 31 percent of coffee consumers stated to drink the hot beverage several times a day in the United Kingdom.Energy and sports drinks - the energy booster
Energy and sports drinks, on the other hand, are drinks that were especially created to fulfil certain functions. Therefore, they are also an integral part of the industry and are very popular. These drinks can increase alertness, attention and energy, as well as improve blood pressure, heart rate and breathing. Sports drinks are also said to protect against dehydration and often contain electrolytes. Recently, in the United Kingdom, the market was worth over three billion British pounds, which was an increase on the previous year. Of these beverages, regular drinks appeared to be the most popular in the U.K., having by far the highest market share of 65 percent in 2023. Low and no calorie energy and sports drinks followed, but had a significantly lower market share of around 20 percent. Consumers of energy and sports drinks primarily include British millennials and Gen Z, according to a 2024 study.The market for functional drinks is very diverse and has actually been around for a while. Today it is particularly important because consumers are very focused on their health and therefore the need for easily and quickly available functional drinks is a given.
