The Europe sports drink market was valued at USD 1,867.0 million for the current year and is projected to register a CAGR of 5.14% over the next five years.
Key Highlights
- The indulgence of individuals in some sort of physical activities, such as adventure sports and gyms, for recreational and health purposes represents one of the key factors boosting the consumption of sports drinks in Europe. According to the statistics published by Sport England in 2022, between November 2020 and November 2021, approximately 3.6 million people participated in adventure sports in England, compared to about 3.2 million people who participated between November 2019 and November 2020.
- Moreover, due to the busy lifestyles of individuals and their inclination towards healthy diets, there is a significant rise in the need for on-the-go functional beverages like sports drinks. These beverages are readily available in convenient packaging like bottles, cans, and tetra packs that are easy to carry and ideal on-the-go products for the working population.
- The inclination towards non-alcoholic beverages provides growth opportunities to players operating in the market. The statistic by UNESDA revealed that the total consumption of non-alcoholic beverages in the United Kingdom increased from 13.4 billion liters in 2020 to over 13.8 billion liters in 2021. Furthermore, companies are coming up with low-calorie, sugar-free products to cater to the demand of health-conscious consumers and individuals suffering from medical conditions like obesity and diabetes. Key players are adopting various unique strategies, such as endorsements, sponsorships, and building brand image and trademarks, to expand their consumer base and market share. For instance, in 2023, FC Barcelona secured a sponsorship agreement with Prime Hydration, created by KSI and Logan Paul. The brand has been announced as the official hydration partner for the next three seasons. Apart from this, due to the increasing influence of social media on the purchasing behavior of consumers, brands have been turning to social media platforms, such as Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube, to engage their consumers through promotional campaigns and drive sales.
- Therefore, the factors mentioned above are some of the primary factors likely to impel the growth of the sports drink market in Europe in the near future.
Europe Sports Drink Market Trends
Growing Fitness and Sports Participation
- The sports drink market is mostly driven by the popularity of athleisure trends like health and wellness. An increasing number of people participating in sports, such as athletics, bodybuilding, weightlifting, and cycling, drives the market for sports drinks in Europe. For instance, according to Sport England, in England, at least twice a month between May 2020 and May 2021, 1.5 million people played team sports.
- In 2021, according to Sport England, a survey revealed that 18% of male participants claimed to have cycled at least once a month, whereas 8.5% of females and 13.2% of individuals identifying as other genders were found to have cycled once a month for any purpose in the country. International sports events, such as cycling championships like UCI Road World Championships and Tour de France (a bicycle race), and others, also encourage the involvement of consumers in cycling. This, in turn, drives the market's growth.
- Moreover, Sports drinks manufacturers are capitalizing on the growing interest of active consumers in sports drinks, who are looking to hydrate before, during, and after exercise, thus taking strategic initiatives such as partnerships, product innovation, expansion, and others to gain a significant share in the market.
- For instance, in May 2021, RAW organic sports drink partnered with Alpine F1 Team. Per the company's claim, it offers healthy hydration for athletes and is made with organic and nutritionally functional ingredients, no additives, and no added sugars. It is suitable for a celiac and vegan diet. Thus, all the above-mentioned factors are positively impacting the market's growth.
Spain Dominates the European Sports Drink Market
Due to the rising awareness about health and wellness and the increasing prevalence of lifestyle medical conditions like obesity and diabetes, individuals indulge in physical body workouts to keep themselves active and fit. This, in turn, drives the demand for sports drinks to replenish glucose, fluids, and electrolytes lost during strenuous exercise and enhance endurance. According to a survey by the Ministry of Education, Culture, and Sport, in 2022, more than one-quarter of male respondents reported having practiced some sports daily, while approximately 21% of female respondents said the same.
Another main factor behind the significant market growth is the booming fitness industry. In 2022, a survey conducted by the Ministry of Education, Culture and Sport in Spain revealed that 19.8% of men and 21.3% of women were members of gyms. Meanwhile, 16.9% of male respondents reported being members of sports clubs, with a lower membership rate among women. Across all age groups in Spain, gym memberships had a more extensive penetration than sports clubs that year. Apart from this, prominent players are adopting innovative approaches, such as combining functional ingredients with natural flavors like turmeric, ginger, and honey, to make the products appealing and exciting to consumers. Such innovations will likely influence the demand for sports drinks in the country and contribute to the overall market growth in Europe.
Europe Sports Drink Industry Overview
The Europe sports drink market is highly competitive, with the presence of numerous players. The prominent companies in the region include The Coca-Cola Company, PepsiCo Inc., Suntory Holdings Limited, Oshee Polska Sp zoo, and Associated British Food PLC. The key strategies adopted by the major players are product development, innovative marketing campaigns, and mergers and acquisitions. Besides this, advanced distribution networks and manufacturing expertise give an upper edge to the manufacturers to expand their range of products worldwide.
Moreover, the companies have focused on continuous expansion to achieve a competitive advantage in the market and expand their geographical presence and customer base. Also, brands are differentiating their products in terms of design (size and weight), quality, and innovation to gain a competitive advantage.
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