US soft drinks market declines - RTD tea grows
According to Beverage Marketing Corp, the US beverage category declined 3.1% in volume in 2009 due to economic woes. So-called value-added water and sports drinks, like Coke's Vitaminwater, were the two hardest hit categories, with volume declines of 12.5% and 12.3%, respectively. Carbonated soft drinks, the largest beverage category that includes Coca-Cola and Pepsi, declined 2.3% in volume. On the bright side, ready-to-drink tea segment recorded the biggest gain, posting a 1.2% rise in volume. 2009 marked the fifth consecutive year of declines in the soft drinks category.