There's a shift in soft drink purchasing patterns in SA

Photo by Krzysztof Hepner on Unsplash

The "Soft Drinks Consumer Insights Comparative Report," which is part of a series of comparative research reports undertaken between 2023 and 2024, provides a detailed look into the evolving tastes and buying behaviours within the beverage market.

This comprehensive research, conducted over 10 months and involving approximately 11,000 participants, offers key insights into how consumer preferences in the beverage sector are changing.

A shift towards bulk buying

Notably, the study finds a significant increase in the preference for larger 2-litre bottles, with consumer preference for this size rising from 62.9% in 2023 to 69.4% in 2024, indicating a shift towards bulk purchasing. This sentiment was bolstered by the decrease in purchasing of smaller bottles.

The data also illustrates changes in brand popularity; while Coca-Cola continues to lead, its dominance has slightly decreased from 66.5% to 59%. Emerging brands such as Kingsley and Pepsi have each increased in preference by 2.1%, suggesting a diversification in market tastes. Furthermore, the frequency of soft drink purchases has also seen a marginal increase, with more consumers now buying soft drinks every 1-2 days, up by 2% over the research period.

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Nicholas Bednall, chair of MoyaApp, says: "The MoyaApp research sample provides usable insights for this sector to assist in understanding the South African mass market. With quick access to a significant sample group within a tough LSM to reach, this research offers an opportunity for businesses across sectors to better understand the needs of their consumers.”

This report is the next in the series, with the previous report insights provided by MoyaApp offering insights into banking and retail clothing, reflecting the broad spectrum of consumer preferences across various categories. MoyaApp continues to offer biweekly reports based on its research findings, helping businesses understand and engage with the South African market more effectively.