Economic Turmoil Continues To Squeeze the US Beverage Sector

In the current climate of economic uncertainty and market volatility, companies need more than just data to adapt to fluctuations in the market and capitalize on opportunities for growth. With low unemployment, a deadlock in Washington regarding the budget, reduced spending, and a declining number of exports, the US market has rarely been more volatile; the need for high-level market insight has rarely been greater.

Leading consumer specialist USA Quarterly Beverage Tracker Report Q1 2013 is designed for clients who want to understand the latest trends in the USA beverage industry, and who demand thorough, well informed analysis to complement data. It provides a complete overview of all commercial beverage consumption trends, recent market developments, an economic mood indicator, and is ideal for benchmarking total market vs retail audit data.

Some key highlights include:

• Q1 has been very poor for low calorie carbonates in spite of significant industry investment in new product development.
• Several smaller brands have buckled under the pressure of the economic climate, and have been sold or consolidated into larger businesses.
• Juice has recorded its first real growth for several years, thanks to the declining costs of raw materials.
• Energy drinks have eased back into the market as it continues to suffer criticism for marketing high caffeine products to youngsters.
• Whilst the beverage industry continues to suffer criticism based on the environmental impact of its discarded containers, and the negative impact on health brought on by excessive consumption of sugary drinks, New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s ban on the sale of sugary drinks in containers exceeding 47.3cl (16oz) has been overturned by Supreme Court judge Milton Tingling.