Table of Contents
Overview
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- What you need to know
- Products covered in this Report
Executive Summary
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- The market
- Sales of cordials and squashes have continued to fall
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- Figure 1: Forecast of UK value sales of cordials and squashes, 2011-21
- On-premise sales of cordials and squashes slide
- Value sales are expected to recover
- Sugar is a key driver for change in the category
- Reduced alcohol consumption could be an opportunity for cordials and squashes
- Companies and brands
- Robinsons and own-labels dominate the category
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- Figure 2: Share of retail value sales of top-selling cordial and squash brands, 2014/15-2016/17
- Drop in launch activity in 2016
- Companies look to peg drinks to occasions
- Half of 2016 product launches carried an L/N/R sugar claim
- 2016 saw sharp drop in adspend
- Vimto Remix shifts TV advertising budget to online
- The consumer
- Four fifths of people drink cordials/squash
- No-added-sugar variants most commonly drunk
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- Figure 3: Usage of cordials and squashes, by type, by frequency, February 2017
- Usage throughout the day is the key occasion for cordials and squash
- Few buyers choose cordials or squashes for formal occasions
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- Figure 4: Usage of cordials and/or squashes, by occasions, February 2017
- Sugar is the biggest barrier to usage
- Over a quarter simply don’t think to drink squash and cordials
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- Figure 5: Barriers to usage of squashes and/or cordials, February 2017
- Hydration can underpin squash and cordial consumption
- Mothers want more cordials and squashes in restaurants and cafés
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- Figure 6: Attitudes related to cordials and squashes, February 2017
- Few people see cordials and squashes as natural
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- Figure 7: Qualities associated with cordials and squashes, correspondence analysis, February 2017
- What we think
Issues and Insights
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- Concern over sugar and artificial sweeteners leaves companies in a tricky position
- The facts
- The implications
- A premium touch may be needed to improve suitability for formal occasions
- The facts
- The implications
- Pushing hydration could open the market up to a wider audience
- The facts
- The implications
The Market – What You Need to Know
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- Sales of cordials and squashes have continued to fall
- On-premise sales of cordials and squashes slide
- Value sales are expected to recover
- Sugar is a key driver for change in the category
- Reduced alcohol consumption could be an opportunity for cordials and squash
Market Size and Forecast
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- Sales of cordials and squashes have continued to fall
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- Figure 8: UK value sales of cordials and squashes, at current and constant prices, 2011-21
- On-premise sales of cordials and squashes slide
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- Figure 9: UK value sales of cordials and squashes in the on-premise and retail channel, 2011-16
- Value sales are expected to recover
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- Figure 10: Forecast of UK value sales of cordials and squashes, 2011-21
- Forecast methodology
Market Drivers
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- Sugar is a key driver for change in the category
- Soft Drinks Levy on the cards in 2018
- Sugar has caught up with fat as health “foe”
- Industry responds with sugar reduction
- Artificial sweeteners concern consumers
- Reduced alcohol consumption could be an opportunity for cordials and squash
- End in sight to growing real consumer incomes
- Weakening of the Pound offers advantage to UK-grown fruit and botanicals
- Soft Drinks Levy adds to upward price pressure
- Growing child population a positive for the category
- Warmer summers benefit sales of cordials and squashes
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- Figure 11: Total hours of sunshine in the UK, by month, 2012-16
Companies and Brands – What You Need to Know
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- Robinsons and own-labels dominate the category
- Drop in launch activity in 2016
- Companies look to peg drinks to occasions
- Half of 2016 product launches carried an L/N/R sugar claim
- 2016 saw sharp drop in adspend
- Vimto Remix shifts TV advertising budget to online
Market Share
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- Robinsons and own-labels dominate the category
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- Figure 12: Value retail sales of top-selling cordial and squash brands, 2014/15-2016/17
- Vimto and Belvoir buck the downward trend
Launch Activity and Innovation
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- Drop in launch activity in 2016
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- Figure 13: Share of new cordial and squash product launches in the UK non-alcoholic drinks market, 2012-16
- Brands gain share of new product launches
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- Figure 14: New product launches in the cordials and squashes market, by own-label and brands, 2013-16
- Vimto shakes things up with Remix range
- Packaging updates for super-concentrated formats
- Companies look to peg drinks to occasions
- Belvoir celebrates Queen’s 90th birthday
- Ribena brings back Winter Spice edition
- Limited edition Wimbledon labels for Robinsons
- Tesco reformulates high fruit juice range to avoid sugar tax
- M&S cordials focus on British ingredients
- Half of 2016 product launches carried an L/N/R sugar claim
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- Figure 15: Share of new products launched in the cordials and squashes market with an L/N/R sugar claim, 2013-16
Advertising and Marketing Activity
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- 2016 saw sharp drop in adspend
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- Figure 16: Total above-the-line, online display and direct mail advertising expenditure on cordials and squash, 2013-16
- Marketing for Ribena brand should also have benefited its squash
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- Figure 17: Total above-the-line, online display and direct mail advertising expenditure on cordials and squashes, by top five brands, 2013-16
- Britvic continues to promote Wimbledon sponsorship
- Robinsons rejuvenates hydration campaign in 2017
- Vimto Remix shifts TV advertising budget to online
- ‘Freebees’ from Belvoir to help declining bee population
- Oasis Mighty Drops targeted festival-goers with unique raincoats
- Nielsen Ad Intel coverage
The Consumer – What You Need to Know
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- Four fifths of people drink cordials/squash
- No-added-sugar variants most commonly drunk
- Usage throughout the day is the key occasion for cordials and squash
- Few buyers choose cordials or squashes for formal occasions
- Sugar is the biggest barrier to usage
- Over a quarter simply don’t think to drink squash and cordials
- Hydration can underpin squash and cordial consumption
- Mothers want more cordials and squashes in restaurants and cafés
- Few people see cordials and squashes as natural
Usage of Cordials and Squashes
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- Four fifths of people drink cordials/squash
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- Figure 18: Repertoire of usage of types of cordials and squashes, February 2017
- Standard-strength squash remains top choice
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- Figure 19: Usage of cordials and squashes, by type, by frequency, February 2017
- A third buy super-concentrated squashes but not for use on the go
- No-added-sugar variants most commonly drunk
- Over-55s top no-added-sugar usage
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- Figure 20: Usage of cordials and squashes, by sugar-content, February 2017
Occasions for Drinking Cordials and Squashes
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- Usage throughout the day is the key occasion for cordials and squash
- 45% of users drink cordials or squash with food
- Few buyers choose cordials or squashes for formal occasions
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- Figure 21: Occasions cordials and squashes have been bought for, February 2017
- Cordials/squashes are a rare choice at pubs, bars or restaurants
- Visibility remains a key challenge
- Comparisons to retail can dilute value image
Barriers to Usage of Cordials and Squashes
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- Sugar is the biggest barrier to usage
- Artificial sweeteners are a turn-off for many
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- Figure 22: Barriers to usage of cordials and/or squashes, February 2017
- Over a quarter simply don’t think to drink squash and cordials
- Seasonality plays a role in cordial/squash consumption
Attitudes Related to Cordials and Squashes
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- Hydration can underpin squash and cordial consumption
- Scope for category to further mine links with water
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- Figure 23: Attitudes related to cordials and squashes, February 2017
- Mothers want more cordials and squashes in restaurants and cafés
- Two in five ABs see hot squash/cordials as a good alternative to tea/coffee
- Scope for cordials and squashes to replace alcohol…
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- Figure 24: Attitudes related to usage of squashes and cordials, February 2017
- …and to make good cocktail ingredients
Qualities Associated with Cordials and Squashes
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- Few people see cordials and squashes as natural
- Squash is strongly associated with being refreshing
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- Figure 25: Qualities associated with cordials, squashes and selected competing drinks, correspondence analysis, February 2017
- Neither seen to be particularly suitable for adults
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- Figure 26: Qualities associated with cordials, squashes and selected competing drinks, February 2017
- Methodology
Appendix – Data Sources, Abbreviations and Supporting Information
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- Abbreviations
- Consumer research methodology
Appendix – Market Size and Forecast
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- Figure 27: Best- and worst-case forecasts for the total cordials and squashes market, by value, 2016-21
- Forecast Methodology
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Appendix – Market Drivers
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- Figure 28: Annual UK rainfall (mm), by month, 2012-16
- Figure 29: Annual UK mean temperature (°C), by month, 2012-16
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Appendix – Market Share
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- Figure 30: Value retail sales of top-selling cordial and squash manufacturers, 2014/15-2016/17
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Appendix – Launch Activity and Innovation
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- Figure 31: New product launches in the cordials and squashes market, by top 10 claims, 2013-16
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Appendix – Advertising and Marketing Activity
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- Figure 32: Total above-the-line, online display and direct mail advertising expenditure on cordials and squashes, by top six companies, 2013-16
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Appendix – Consumer Research
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- Figure 33: Usage of cordials and squashes, by type, February 2017
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- Figure 34: Frequency of cordials and squashes drank, by type, February 2017
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