Australians under the age of 35 are losing their appetite for soft drinks, with those aged 35 to 49 now the most likely to consume soft drink in an average week.
According to Roy Morgan research, the past five years has seen a sharp decline in the number of Australians aged 35 and under consuming soft drinks. In the 12 months to 2009, around two in three Australians aged 14 to 25 or 25-34 had some soft drink in an average week. However, by late June 2013, the consumption rates had dropped nine percentage points, to 56 percent and 57 percent respectively.
Overall, 50 percent of Australians 14 years and over now consume soft drink in a seven day period, down from 56 percent in 2009.
There was also a drop in consumption amongst the 35 to 49 year olds, falling three percentage points to 58 percent. This group, however, is the most likely to have soft drinks in an average week.
The fizzy beverages are least popular in the 50 and over age bracket, with consumption at 40 percent, down from 44 percent.
Not only are young Australians drinking soft drink less often, they're also drinking a smaller amount when they do indulge. The average weekly intake declined by 1.2 to 5.5 glasses among consumers under 25, and by 0.6 to 6.3 glasses among 25 to 34 year olds.
When combined with the decline in overall consumption rates, this equates to around five million fewer glasses of soft drink being drunk per week by Australians under the age of 35.
The same can't be said for the older citizens, with 35 to 49 year olds drinking an average of seven glasses per week, up by 0.1, and those over 50 drinking 6.1 glasses, up 0.2.
Overall weekly intake declined from 6.6 glasses to 6.3.
Angela Smith, group account manager – consumer products, Roy Morgan Research, said the drop in consumption is because of Australians are becoming increasingly health consious. She also said manufacturers will need to understand exactly who is consuming their products, and adjust their marketing accordingly.
“As the number of young Australians who drink soft drink continues to drop, soft drink distributors and marketers will need to gain a better understanding of their new target market in order to stay competitive.”