Judging from the infographic recently released by the NZ Beverage Council, concerns over sugar-sweetened drinks are overstated. The research shows that, among Kiwis’ top purchased items, milk is the first beverage in 43rd position, while the first soft drink ranks 77th and is a non-sugar option.
Judging from the infographic recently released by the NZ Beverage Council, concerns over sugar-sweetened drinks are overstated. The research shows that, among Kiwis’ top purchased items, milk is the first beverage in 43rd position, while the first soft drink ranks 77th and is a non-sugar option.
“Sales of low and no-calorie soft drink options have jumped by 67 percent between 2008 and 2016, and this explains why the first soft drink in the ranking is a non-sugar variety,” said NZBC president Olly Munro.
Bananas take the top spot, and the average Kiwi’s trolley contains an abundance of fruit, bread, vegetables and meat products, which are among the top ten purchased items.
This is testimony to the attention paid by New Zealanders to what they consume, with 53 percent of people surveyed saying they are concerned about the impact of sugar on their diet. Up more than 10 percent on 2010 and growing, water remains the most popular drink. In particular, bottled water sales are skyrocketing, having increased more than 25 percent year-on-year for the past two years.
Soft drinks sit at 3.5 percent of what we drink, while water, coffee, tea and milk make up 84 percent. Also interestingly, Kiwis drink twice as much alcohol as they do soft drinks on a weekly basis.
“Our members continue to invest in product innovation, changes in pack sizes and marketing initiatives that have seen a major transformation take place in the category in the past five years and the impact is significant,” said Munro.
