CPG Bites: Taste is Key to Sparkling Waters’ Success

Last updated on July 6, 2021

Sparkling water is prime to compete for beverage of choice when relaxing at home

According to Statista.com, Retail sales of plain sparkling water amounted to around $555.64 million CAD ($435.7 million U.S.) in Canada in 2018, making it the most popular type of carbonated water. Sales of flavoured sparkling water are, however, expected to outperform sales of plain sparkling water in coming years in Canada.

So, with the rising demand, what did Caddle find out about consumption? 50% of consumers said they have never consumed flavoured sparkling water, while 23% consume sparkling water daily or multiple times per day.

Brands have one question in mind: what factors make a good flavoured sparkling water?

Taste/flavour is the clear deciding factor when it comes to why consumers drink flavoured sparkling water, followed by low calorie count. 1 in 3 consumers selected taste/flavour as most important when selecting a sparkling beverage.

Only looking at the consumers that drink flavour sparkling water, we dove into when they consume it most, and here’s what we found: 54.9% said when relaxing at home, 9.9% said when out and about, 8.9% said when eating out, 8.5% said while working, and 8.3% said at an event or social gathering. This held true among all demographics. (n = 4,756)

Main Takeaway?

Brands built on taste will win in the long-term.