Table of Contents
Executive Summary
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- The market
- Children and teens outpacing total population growth
- PHE targets sugar to combat childhood obesity
- Soft drinks levy comes into effect
- New restrictions on advertising targeted at children
- Companies and brands
- Products for 5-12s account for a small share of drinks launches
- Majority of children’s launches are juices and juice drinks
- L/N/R sugar claims on two thirds of new launches
- On-the-go claims on three in 10 launches
- Brands look to packaging to make water more fun for kids
- The consumer
- Two thirds of parents buy squash/cordial for their child
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- Figure 1: Types of drinks bought for the household and specifically for children, March 2018
- Sugar is parents’ top consideration when buying drinks for kids
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- Figure 2: Factors considered most important by parents when choosing drinks for children, March 2018
- Parents try to limit their kids’ intake of fizzy drinks and juice
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- Figure 3: Parents’ behaviour in relation to children’s drinking habits, March 2018
- Milk is drunk most at breakfast
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- Figure 4: Times of day when children drink different drinks, March 2018
- Schools encourage kids to drink water and healthier drinks
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- Figure 5: Children’s drinking behaviour and attitudes, March 2018
- What we think
Issues and Insights
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- Health-related messages are important for children’s drinks
- The facts
- The implications
- Parents limit drinking of certain drinks, but kids still have a big say on what gets bought
- The facts
- The implications
- Lunchbox drinks face a number of challenges
- The facts
- The implications
- New flavours and sparkling options are important for experimental kids
- The facts
- The implications
The Market – What You Need to Know
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- Children and teens outpacing total population growth
- PHE targets sugar to combat childhood obesity
- Soft drinks sugar levy comes into effect
- New restrictions on advertising targeted at children
- School food standards guidance influence lunchbox drinks
- Universal Infant School Meals limit sales of ‘lunchbox’ drinks
- Deposit return schemes aim to increase recycling
- Free water refill stations set to become more widespread
- Government consultation on plastic straws
Market Drivers
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- Children and teens outpacing total population growth
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- Figure 6: Trends in the age structure of the UK population (0-15-year-olds), by age, 2012-22
- Big focus on sugar reduction from PHE
- PHE targets sugar to combat childhood obesity
- Soft Drinks Industry Levy comes into effect
- New PHE sugar reduction targets for juice and milk-based drinks
- New restrictions on advertising targeted at children
- Non-broadcast media brought into line with other media
- New limits on juice and milkshake advertising proposed
- Universal Infant Free School Meals and lunchbox policies
- School Food Standards cover all drinks served in schools
- Tackling plastic waste a big issue for the drinks industry
- Deposit return schemes aim to reduce litter and increase recycling
- Free water refill stations set to become more widespread
- Government consultation on plastic straws
Companies and Brands – What You Need to Know
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- Products for 5-12s make up a small share of drinks launches
- Majority of children’s launches are juices and juice drinks
- L/N/R sugar claims on two thirds of new launches
- On-the-go claims on three in 10 launches
- Vitamin/mineral fortified launches also being seen
- Brands continue to push school compliant credential
- Brands look to packaging to make water more fun for kids
Launch Activity and Innovation
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- Products for children aged 5-12 make up a small share of drink launches
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- Figure 7: Proportion of new launches in the UK non-alcoholic drinks market making children (5-12) claims, 2013-18
- Majority of children’s drinks launches are juices and juice drinks
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- Figure 8: Breakdown of new drinks launches making children (5-12) claims, by category, 2013-18*
- L/N/R sugar claims on two thirds of new launches
- No added sugar the biggest focus
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- Figure 9: Examples of children’s drinks launches making no added sugar claims, 2018
- No artificial additives/preservatives a claim on most kids’ drinks
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- Figure 10: New drinks launches (excluding alcoholic drinks) making children (5-12) claims, by claim (top 20), 2013-18
- On-the-go claims on three in 10 launches
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- Figure 11: Examples of children’s drinks launches making on-the-go claims, 2017 and 2018
- Vitamin/mineral fortified and health claims
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- Figure 12: Up & Go Kids Breakfast Drinks launch, 2018
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- Figure 13: Examples of drinks launches making vitamin/mineral fortified and health claims, 2018
- Brands continue to push school compliant
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- Figure 14: Examples of children’s drinks launches making ‘schools compliant’ claims, 2017 and 2018
- Brands look to packaging to make water and hydration more fun for kids
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- Figure 15: Examples of character-themed bottled water launches, 2017
- Less mess packaging from Ribena Minis
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- Figure 16: Example of less mess packaging from Ribena Minis, 2017
- Tapping into PHE’s 100-calorie snack advice
The Consumer – What You Need to Know
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- Two thirds of parents buy squash/cordial for their child
- Fizzy drinks lag noticeably behind
- Sugar is parents’ top consideration when buying drinks for kids
- Favourite flavour a bigger consideration for parents than favourite brand
- Parents try to limit their kids’ intake of fizzy drinks and juice
- Children have a big influence on soft drink purchases
- Milk drunk most for breakfast, followed by fruit juice/smoothies
- Squash a popular choice for lunch and dinner
- Schools encourage kids to drink water and healthier drinks
- Half of 10-15s sometimes buy drinks on school days
Drinks Bought in Household and Those Bought Specifically for Children
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- Two thirds of parents buy squash/cordial for their child
- Fruit juice and juice drinks are next most popular choice
- Fizzy drinks lag noticeably behind
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- Figure 17: Types of drinks bought for the household and specifically for children, March 2018
- Squash and juice drinks bought more for younger children
- Fizzy drinks are much more common for older kids
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- Figure 18: Types of drinks bought specifically for child, by age of child taking part in survey, March 2018
Factors Influencing Choice of Drinks for Children
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- Sugar is top consideration when buying drinks for kids
- Levy cements sugar as source of concern and fuels NPD
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- Figure 19: Factors considered most important by parents when choosing drinks for children, March 2018
- Absence of artificial sweeteners also a big consideration
- Drinks can help with 5-a-day targets and vitamins/minerals
- Favourite flavour a bigger consideration than favourite brand
Behaviours Related to Children’s Drinking Habits
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- Parents try to limit their kids’ intake of fizzy drinks and juice
- Biggest concerns surround fizzy drinks
- Healthy halo of fruit juice has slipped
- ‘School approved’ label can make choosing healthier drinks easier
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- Figure 20: Parents’ behaviours in relation to children’s drinking habits, March 2018
- Children have a big influence on soft drink purchases
- Many schools only allow healthy drinks
- Plastic straws under pressure
Attitudes towards What Children Drink
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- Children’s health central to parents’ thinking
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- Figure 21: Attitudes towards what children drink, March 2018
- Drinking cow’s milk seen as important for children
- Flavoured milk bought by a third of parents
Drinks Drunk by Children at Different Times of Day
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- Milk drunk most typically at breakfast, followed by fruit juice/smoothies
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- Figure 22: Times of day when children drink different drinks, March 2018
- Squash a popular choice for lunch and dinner
- The appeal of squash wanes among over-9s
- Fizzy and hot drinks drunk more by older children
Children’s Drinking Behaviour and Attitudes
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- Schools encouraging kids to drink water, parents worry about intake
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- Figure 23: Children’s drinking behaviour and attitudes, March 2018
- Most kids report their school follows standards for healthier drinks
- New flavours remain a key means to appeal to kids
- Fizzy drinks appeal to kids, less so to parents
- Over half of children have a favourite drinks brand, many buy drinks for themselves
- Advertising and peer influence affect kids’ preferences
Appendix – Data Sources, Abbreviations and Supporting Information
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- Abbreviations
- Consumer research methodology
Appendix – Launch Activity and Innovation
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- Figure 24: Incidence of children (5-12) claims in different drinks categories, share of launches in each category, 2013-18
- Figure 25: Total UK drinks launches (excluding alcoholic drinks), by claim, 2013-18
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