Growth was boosted by sales in east Europe, which achieved an 8% increase to 400 million litres. Flavoured water was again by far the largest segment, with 84% of the total. Functional waters were responsible for the remaining 16%, advancing their share by 1% since 2007.
“Increasing public awareness about the benefits of hydration and mounting concerns over calories in other soft drinks have led to extensive innovation in flavoured and functional waters over the past few years,” says Zenith market intelligence director, Gary Roethenbaugh. “Scientific advances in tailoring functional ingredients to beverage-based applications have widened the opportunities for functional products.”
Other findings of the 2009 Zenith report include:
Zenith predicts a positive outlook for European flavoured and functional waters, with a focus on ongoing flavour development tailored to local consumer preferences. The majority of additional demand is forecast to come from east Europe.
Source: Zenith International
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