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Soft Drinks in China

Published Nov 28, 2025
Length 111 Pages
SKU # EP20639415

Description

Soft drinks in China maintained a steady growth trajectory in 2025. Over the past year, retail prices of soft drinks have seen a moderate increase, with value growth outpacing volume growth across most categories. A key driver shaping the market is the rising health consciousness among Chinese consumers, particularly regarding sugar content. To this end, low-sugar and sugar-free formulations have become significant factors influencing purchasing decisions.

Euromonitor International's Soft Drinks in China report offers a comprehensive guide to the size and shape of the market at a national level. It provides the latest retail sales data (2020-2024), allowing you to identify the sectors driving growth. It identifies the leading companies, the leading brands and offers strategic analysis of key factors influencing the market – be they legislative, distribution, packaging or pricing issues. Forecasts to 2029 illustrate how the market is set to change.

Product coverage: Asian Speciality Drinks, Bottled Water, Carbonates, Concentrates, Energy Drinks, Juice, RTD Coffee, RTD Tea, Sports Drinks.

Data coverage: market sizes (historic and forecasts), company shares, brand shares and distribution data.

Why buy this report??
* Get a detailed picture of the Soft Drinks market;
* Pinpoint growth sectors and identify factors driving change;
* Understand the competitive environment, the market’s major players and leading brands;
* Use five-year forecasts to assess how the market is predicted to develop.

Table of Contents

111 Pages
Soft Drinks in China
Euromonitor International
November 2025
List Of Contents And Tables
SOFT DRINKS IN CHINA
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Relatively bright performance for soft drinks
KEY DATA FINDINGS
INDUSTRY PERFORMANCE
Health factors bear heavy influence on soft drinks
Consumers are willing to pay for convenience and instant delivery
Local cultural traditions increasingly shape product developments
WHAT’S NEXT?
Stable outlook for soft drinks
Players will capitalise on more discerning tastes
High growth of reduced-sugar RTD tea will continue
COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE
Nongfu Spring Co Ltd strengthens position with growth in RTD tea
Domestic companies gain traction in highly competitive landscape
CHANNELS
Soft drinks is heavily reliant on the traditional channel
Rising expectations over convenience and immediacy
Foodservice vs retail split
MARKET DATA
Table 1 Off-trade vs On-trade Sales of Soft Drinks (RTD) by Channel: Volume 2020-2025
Table 2 Off-trade vs On-trade Sales of Soft Drinks (RTD) by Channel: % Volume Growth 2020-2025
Table 3 Off-trade vs On-trade Sales of Soft Drinks by Channel: Value 2020-2025
Table 4 Off-trade vs On-trade Sales of Soft Drinks by Channel: % Value Growth 2020-2025
Table 5 Off-trade vs On-trade Sales of Soft Drinks (as sold) by Category: Volume 2025
Table 6 Off-trade vs On-trade Sales of Soft Drinks (as sold) by Category: % Volume 2025
Table 7 Off-trade vs On-trade Sales of Soft Drinks by Category: Value 2025
Table 8 Off-trade vs On-trade Sales of Soft Drinks by Category: % Value 2025
Table 9 Off-trade Sales of Soft Drinks (RTD) by Category: Volume 2020-2025
Table 10 Off-trade Sales of Soft Drinks (RTD) by Category: % Volume Growth 2020-2025
Table 11 Off-trade Sales of Soft Drinks by Category: Value 2020-2025
Table 12 Off-trade Sales of Soft Drinks by Category: % Value Growth 2020-2025
Table 13 Sales of Soft Drinks by Total Fountain On-trade: Volume 2020-2025
Table 14 Sales of Soft Drinks by Total Fountain On-trade: % Volume Growth 2020-2025
Table 15 NBO Company Shares of Total Soft Drinks (RTD): % Volume 2021-2025
Table 16 LBN Brand Shares of Total Soft Drinks (RTD): % Volume 2022-2025
Table 17 NBO Company Shares of On-trade Soft Drinks (RTD): % Volume 2021-2025
Table 18 LBN Brand Shares of On-trade Soft Drinks (RTD): % Volume 2022-2025
Table 19 NBO Company Shares of Off-trade Soft Drinks (RTD): % Volume 2021-2025
Table 20 LBN Brand Shares of Off-trade Soft Drinks (RTD): % Volume 2022-2025
Table 21 NBO Company Shares of Off-trade Soft Drinks: % Value 2021-2025
Table 22 LBN Brand Shares of Off-trade Soft Drinks: % Value 2022-2025
Table 23 Penetration of Private Label in Off-trade Soft Drinks (RTD) by Category: % Volume 2020-2025
Table 24 Penetration of Private Label in Off-trade Soft Drinks by Category: % Value 2020-2025
Table 25 Distribution of Off-trade Soft Drinks (as sold) by Format: % Volume 2020-2025
Table 26 Distribution of Off-trade Soft Drinks (as sold) by Format and Category: % Volume 2025
Table 27 Forecast Off-trade vs On-trade Sales of Soft Drinks (RTD) by Channel: Volume 2025-2030
Table 28 Forecast Off-trade vs On-trade Sales of Soft Drinks (RTD) by Channel: % Volume Growth 2025-2030
Table 29 Forecast Off-trade vs On-trade Sales of Soft Drinks by Channel: Value 2025-2030
Table 30 Forecast Off-trade vs On-trade Sales of Soft Drinks by Channel: % Value Growth 2025-2030
Table 31 Forecast Off-trade Sales of Soft Drinks (RTD) by Category: Volume 2025-2030
Table 32 Forecast Off-trade Sales of Soft Drinks (RTD) by Category: % Volume Growth 2025-2030
Table 33 Forecast Off-trade Sales of Soft Drinks by Category: Value 2025-2030
Table 34 Forecast Off-trade Sales of Soft Drinks by Category: % Value Growth 2025-2030
Table 35 Forecast Sales of Soft Drinks by Total Fountain On-trade: Volume 2025-2030
Table 36 Forecast Sales of Soft Drinks by Total Fountain On-trade: % Volume Growth 2025-2030
APPENDIX
Fountain sales in China
COUNTRY REPORTS DISCLAIMER
SOURCES
Summary 1 Research Sources
CARBONATES IN CHINA
KEY DATA FINDINGS
2025 DEVELOPMENTS
Carbonates faces structural changes
INDUSTRY PERFORMANCE
Health concerns and lack of meaningful innovation weakens carbonate consumption
Reduced-sugar RTD tea and emergence of domestic brands draws consumers away from cola carbonates
WHAT’S NEXT?
Further structural decline is evident for carbonates
Cross-category innovation to create variety of sparkling beverages
Sustainable initiatives are embraced to resonate with eco-conscious consumers
COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE
Dominant multinational brands are seeing some share erosion
CHANNELS
Small local grocers remain a key channel for carbonates
Consumers expect instant access and immediacy when shopping online
CATEGORY DATA
Table 37 Off-trade vs On-trade Sales of Carbonates: Volume 2020-2025
Table 38 Off-trade vs On-trade Sales of Carbonates: Value 2020-2025
Table 39 Off-trade vs On-trade Sales of Carbonates: % Volume Growth 2020-2025
Table 40 Off-trade vs On-trade Sales of Carbonates: % Value Growth 2020-2025
Table 41 Off-trade Sales of Carbonates by Category: Volume 2020-2025
Table 42 Off-trade Sales of Carbonates by Category: Value 2020-2025
Table 43 Off-trade Sales of Carbonates by Category: % Volume Growth 2020-2025
Table 44 Off-trade Sales of Carbonates by Category: % Value Growth 2020-2025
Table 45 Total Sales of Carbonates by Fountain On-trade: Volume 2020-2025
Table 46 Total Sales of Carbonates by Fountain On-trade: % Volume Growth 2020-2025
Table 47 NBO Company Shares of Off-trade Carbonates: % Volume 2021-2025
Table 48 LBN Brand Shares of Off-trade Carbonates: % Volume 2022-2025
Table 49 NBO Company Shares of Off-trade Carbonates: % Value 2021-2025
Table 50 LBN Brand Shares of Off-trade Carbonates: % Value 2022-2025
Table 51 Forecast Off-trade Sales of Carbonates by Category: Volume 2025-2030
Table 52 Forecast Off-trade Sales of Carbonates by Category: Value 2025-2030
Table 53 Forecast Off-trade Sales of Carbonates by Category: % Volume Growth 2025-2030
Table 54 Forecast Off-trade Sales of Carbonates by Category: % Value Growth 2025-2030
Table 55 Forecast Total Sales of Carbonates by Fountain On-trade: Volume 2025-2030
Table 56 Forecast Total Sales of Carbonates by Fountain On-trade: % Volume Growth 2025-2030
COUNTRY REPORTS DISCLAIMER
JUICE IN CHINA
KEY DATA FINDINGS
2025 DEVELOPMENTS
Players focus on evolving needs in the juice category
INDUSTRY PERFORMANCE
Health-awareness in China remains challenging for juice category
Coconut and other plant waters prove attractive to the Chinese consumer
WHAT’S NEXT?
The growing health agenda poses opportunities and threats
Technology will spearhead health-based innovations
Low/zero sugar and functional benefits are stand-out requirements
OMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE
Leading brand Minute Maid supports strong position of Coca-Cola China Ltd
General Beverage Co Ltd makes waves in the juice category
CHANNELS
Supermarkets retain their stronghold in juice category
Stronger reliance on retail e-commerce for juice purchases
CATEGORY DATA
Table 57 Off-trade Sales of Juice by Category: Volume 2020-2025
Table 58 Off-trade Sales of Juice by Category: Value 2020-2025
Table 59 Off-trade Sales of Juice by Category: % Volume Growth 2020-2025
Table 60 Off-trade Sales of Juice by Category: % Value Growth 2020-2025
Table 61 NBO Company Shares of Off-trade Juice: % Volume 2021-2025
Table 62 LBN Brand Shares of Off-trade Juice: % Volume 2022-2025
Table 63 NBO Company Shares of Off-trade Juice: % Value 2021-2025
Table 64 LBN Brand Shares of Off-trade Juice: % Value 2022-2025
Table 65 Forecast Off-trade Sales of Juice by Category: Volume 2025-2030
Table 66 Forecast Off-trade Sales of Juice by Category: Value 2025-2030
Table 67 Forecast Off-trade Sales of Juice by Category: % Volume Growth 2025-2030
Table 68 Forecast Off-trade Sales of Juice by Category: % Value Growth 2025-2030
COUNTRY REPORTS DISCLAIMER
BOTTLED WATER IN CHINA
KEY DATA FINDINGS
2025 DEVELOPMENTS
Strong progress for the bottled water category
INDUSTRY PERFORMANCE
Bottled water consumption occasions are on the rise
Product launches drive category growth
Wider distribution strategies drives sales of carbonated natural mineral bottled water
WHAT’S NEXT?
Bright outlook with diverse products aimed at different segments
Advancements in packaging will enhance sustainable credentials
Technology offers scope to enhance transparency, traceability and enhance production efficiencies
COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE
Wahaha builds on its resurgence in 2025
Nongfu Spring Co Ltd solidifies its leading position
CHANNELS
Accessibility and convenience pushes most sales through small local stores
Vending growth reflects rising demand for instant access
CATEGORY DATA
Table 69 Off-trade Sales of Bottled Water by Category: Volume 2020-2025
Table 70 Off-trade Sales of Bottled Water by Category: Value 2020-2025
Table 71 Off-trade Sales of Bottled Water by Category: % Volume Growth 2020-2025
Table 72 Off-trade Sales of Bottled Water by Category: % Value Growth 2020-2025
Table 73 NBO Company Shares of Off-trade Bottled Water: % Volume 2021-2025
Table 74 LBN Brand Shares of Off-trade Bottled Water: % Volume 2022-2025
Table 75 NBO Company Shares of Off-trade Bottled Water: % Value 2021-2025
Table 76 LBN Brand Shares of Off-trade Bottled Water: % Value 2022-2025
Table 77 Forecast Off-trade Sales of Bottled Water by Category: Volume 2025-2030
Table 78 Forecast Off-trade Sales of Bottled Water by Category: Value 2025-2030
Table 79 Forecast Off-trade Sales of Bottled Water by Category: % Volume Growth 2025-2030
Table 80 Forecast Off-trade Sales of Bottled Water by Category: % Value Growth 2025-2030
COUNTRY REPORTS DISCLAIMER
SPORTS DRINKS IN CHINA
KEY DATA FINDINGS
2025 DEVELOPMENTS
Sports drinks strengthen position amid health boom
INDUSTRY PERFORMANCE
Active lifestyles support dynamic sales growth in sports drinks
Reduced-sugar sports drinks attract strong consumer interest
WHAT’S NEXT?
Sustained growth rates reflect a more active nation
Consumers expect additional benefits from sports drinks
Focus on electrolytes in sports drinks
COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE
Two players comprise almost half of volume share
Eastroc Hydrating Water shows remarkable growth following entrance in 2023
CHANNELS
ajor players leverage broad distribution networks to reach all-important small local grocers
Vending offers convenient solution for active consumers
CATEGORY DATA
Table 81 Off-trade Sales of Sports Drinks: Volume 2020-2025
Table 82 Off-trade Sales of Sports Drinks: Value 2020-2025
Table 83 Off-trade Sales of Sports Drinks: % Volume Growth 2020-2025
Table 84 Off-trade Sales of Sports Drinks: % Value Growth 2020-2025
Table 85 NBO Company Shares of Off-trade Sports Drinks: % Volume 2021-2025
Table 86 LBN Brand Shares of Off-trade Sports Drinks: % Volume 2022-2025
Table 87 NBO Company Shares of Off-trade Sports Drinks: % Value 2021-2025
Table 88 LBN Brand Shares of Off-trade Sports Drinks: % Value 2022-2025
Table 89 Forecast Off-trade Sales of Sports Drinks: Volume 2025-2030
Table 90 Forecast Off-trade Sales of Sports Drinks: Value 2025-2030
Table 91 Forecast Off-trade Sales of Sports Drinks: % Volume Growth 2025-2030
Table 92 Forecast Off-trade Sales of Sports Drinks: % Value Growth 2025-2030
COUNTRY REPORTS DISCLAIMER
ENERGY DRINKS IN CHINA
KEY DATA FINDINGS
2025 DEVELOPMENTS
Energy drinks are more widely consumed
INDUSTRY PERFORMANCE
Eastroc Super Drink drives consumption with low price positioning
Consumption occasions are expanding
WHAT’S NEXT?
Evolving perception of energy drinks will drive sales
Reduced-sugar energy drinks category set to flourish
The ingredients in energy drinks are also becoming more diverse
COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE
Intense competition in energy drinks landscape
Shenzhen Eastroc Beverage Co Ltd is most dynamic player
CHANNELS
Small local grocers remain dominant channel
Distribution is diversifying in line with consumption occasions
CATEGORY DATA
Table 93 Off-trade Sales of Energy Drinks: Volume 2020-2025
Table 94 Off-trade Sales of Energy Drinks: Value 2020-2025
Table 95 Off-trade Sales of Energy Drinks: % Volume Growth 2020-2025
Table 96 Off-trade Sales of Energy Drinks: % Value Growth 2020-2025
Table 97 NBO Company Shares of Off-trade Energy Drinks: % Volume 2021-2025
Table 98 LBN Brand Shares of Off-trade Energy Drinks: % Volume 2022-2025
Table 99 NBO Company Shares of Off-trade Energy Drinks: % Value 2021-2025
Table 100 LBN Brand Shares of Off-trade Energy Drinks: % Value 2022-2025
Table 101 Forecast Off-trade Sales of Energy Drinks: Volume 2025-2030
Table 102 Forecast Off-trade Sales of Energy Drinks: Value 2025-2030
Table 103 Forecast Off-trade Sales of Energy Drinks: % Volume Growth 2025-2030
Table 104 Forecast Off-trade Sales of Energy Drinks: % Value Growth 2025-2030
COUNTRY REPORTS DISCLAIMER
CONCENTRATES IN CHINA
KEY DATA FINDINGS
2025 DEVELOPMENTS
China’s rising coffee culture has positive impact on concentrates
INDUSTRY PERFORMANCE
Coffee concentrates draw on China’s rapid growth of coffee consumption
Desire for healthier beverages supports liquid concentrates
Consumers are attracted by the portability of liquid concentrates
WHAT’S NEXT?
Bright outlook for concentrates
Players will embrace health attributes to bolster appeal
Sustainability will remain high on the agenda
COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE
Luckin Coffee (Beijing) Co Ltd reinforces its lead
Dynamic performance of Luckin Coffee linked to multiple factors
CHANNELS
Retail e-commerce has strong position in concentrates
Concentrates Conversions
Summary 2 Concentrates Conversion Factors for Ready-to-Drink (RTD) Format
CATEGORY DATA
Table 105 Off-trade Sales of Concentrates (RTD) by Category: Volume 2020-2025
Table 106 Off-trade Sales of Concentrates (RTD) by Category: % Volume Growth 2020-2025
Table 107 Off-trade Sales of Concentrates by Category: Value 2020-2025
Table 108 Off-trade Sales of Concentrates by Category: % Value Growth 2020-2025
Table 109 LBN Brand Shares of Off-trade Concentrates (RTD): % Volume 2022-2025
Table 110 NBO Company Shares of Off-trade Concentrates: % Value 2021-2025
Table 111 LBN Brand Shares of Off-trade Concentrates: % Value 2022-2025
Table 112 NBO Company Shares of Off-trade Liquid Concentrates (RTD): % Volume 2021-2025
Table 113 LBN Brand Shares of Off-trade Liquid Concentrates (RTD): % Volume 2022-2025
Table 114 NBO Company Shares of Off-trade Powder Concentrates (RTD): % Volume 2021-2025
Table 115 LBN Brand Shares of Off-trade Powder Concentrates (RTD): % Volume 2022-2025
Table 116 Forecast Off-trade Sales of Concentrates (RTD) by Category: Volume 2025-2030
Table 117 Forecast Off-trade Sales of Concentrates (RTD) by Category: % Volume Growth 2025-2030
Table 118 Forecast Off-trade Sales of Concentrates by Category: Value 2025-2030
Table 119 Forecast Off-trade Sales of Concentrates by Category: % Value Growth 2025-2030
COUNTRY REPORTS DISCLAIMER
RTD TEA IN CHINA
KEY DATA FINDINGS
2025 DEVELOPMENTS
Rising consumer interest in RTD tea
INDUSTRY PERFORMANCE
Healthy performance as RTD teas gain visibility in stores
Reduced-sugar RTD tea is sweet spot for consumers
WHAT’S NEXT?
Bright outlook for RTD tea
Flavour diversification will bolster appeal
Functional traits give rise to new variants of RTD tea
COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE
Master Kong Ice Tea maintains a strong lead
Oriental Leaf pushes into second position with zero sugar variant
CHANNELS
Modern channel is key for RTD tea
Snack discount retailers show remarkable growth
CATEGORY DATA
Table 120 Off-trade Sales of RTD Tea by Category: Volume 2020-2025
Table 121 Off-trade Sales of RTD Tea by Category: Value 2020-2025
Table 122 Off-trade Sales of RTD Tea by Category: % Volume Growth 2020-2025
Table 123 Off-trade Sales of RTD Tea by Category: % Value Growth 2020-2025
Table 124 Leading Flavours for Off-trade RTD Tea: % Volume 2020-2025
Table 125 NBO Company Shares of Off-trade RTD Tea: % Volume 2021-2025
Table 126 LBN Brand Shares of Off-trade RTD Tea: % Volume 2022-2025
Table 127 NBO Company Shares of Off-trade RTD Tea: % Value 2021-2025
Table 128 LBN Brand Shares of Off-trade RTD Tea: % Value 2022-2025
Table 129 Forecast Off-trade Sales of RTD Tea by Category: Volume 2025-2030
Table 130 Forecast Off-trade Sales of RTD Tea by Category: Value 2025-2030
Table 131 Forecast Off-trade Sales of RTD Tea by Category: % Volume Growth 2025-2030
Table 132 Forecast Off-trade Sales of RTD Tea by Category: % Value Growth 2025-2030
COUNTRY REPORTS DISCLAIMER
RTD COFFEE IN CHINA
KEY DATA FINDINGS
2025 DEVELOPMENTS
Growing appeal of RTD coffee
INDUSTRY PERFORMANCE
Healthier lines attract consumers
Rapid rise in coffee culture supports consumer interest
WHAT’S NEXT?
Sophisticated products will deliver healthier offerings
Technologies will enhance flavours, quality and traceability
Players to roll out sustainable packaging solutions
COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE
Nestlé (China) Ltd retains lead through regular new flavour extensions and formats
Starbucks harnesses local culture to ensure relevancy
CHANNELS
Small local grocers offer key benefits to RTD coffee brands
Retail e-commerce draws in consumers with quick delivery and competitive prices
CATEGORY DATA
Table 133 Off-trade Sales of RTD Coffee: Volume 2020-2025
Table 134 Off-trade Sales of RTD Coffee: Value 2020-2025
Table 135 Off-trade Sales of RTD Coffee: % Volume Growth 2020-2025
Table 136 Off-trade Sales of RTD Coffee: % Value Growth 2020-2025
Table 137 NBO Company Shares of Off-trade RTD Coffee: % Volume 2021-2025
Table 138 LBN Brand Shares of Off-trade RTD Coffee: % Volume 2022-2025
Table 139 NBO Company Shares of Off-trade RTD Coffee: % Value 2021-2025
Table 140 LBN Brand Shares of Off-trade RTD Coffee: % Value 2022-2025
Table 141 Forecast Off-trade Sales of RTD Coffee: Volume 2025-2030
Table 142 Forecast Off-trade Sales of RTD Coffee: Value 2025-2030
Table 143 Forecast Off-trade Sales of RTD Coffee: % Volume Growth 2025-2030
Table 144 Forecast Off-trade Sales of RTD Coffee: % Value Growth 2025-2030
COUNTRY REPORTS DISCLAIMER
ASIAN SPECIALITY DRINKS IN CHINA
KEY DATA FINDINGS
2025 DEVELOPMENTS
Challenging landscape for Asian speciality drinks
INDUSTRY PERFORMANCE
Lacklustre appeal notably among younger generations
Competition from freshly brewed tea drinks and RTD tea
Health-oriented developments are emerging
WHAT’S NEXT?
Asian specialty drinks struggle with outdated image
Digital marketing and technologies are leveraged to engage with audiences
Sustainable developments will resonate with consumers
COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE
Tiandi No1 Beverage Co Ltd is the leading player
Lvjie strikes a chord with Chinese consumers
CHANNELS
E-commerce sales are gaining traction
CATEGORY DATA
Table 145 Off-trade Sales of Asian Speciality Drinks: Volume 2020-2025
Table 146 Off-trade Sales of Asian Speciality Drinks: Value 2020-2025
Table 147 Off-trade Sales of Asian Speciality Drinks: % Volume Growth 2020-2025
Table 148 Off-trade Sales of Asian Speciality Drinks: % Value Growth 2020-2025
Table 149 NBO Company Shares of Off-trade Asian Speciality Drinks: % Volume 2021-2025
Table 150 LBN Brand Shares of Off-trade Asian Speciality Drinks: % Volume 2022-2025
Table 151 NBO Company Shares of Off-trade Asian Speciality Drinks: % Value 2021-2025
Table 152 LBN Brand Shares of Off-trade Asian Speciality Drinks: % Value 2022-2025
Table 153 Forecast Off-trade Sales of Asian Speciality Drinks: Volume 2025-2030
Table 154 Forecast Off-trade Sales of Asian Speciality Drinks: Value 2025-2030
Table 155 Forecast Off-trade Sales of Asian Speciality Drinks: % Volume Growth 2025-2030
Table 156 Forecast Off-trade Sales of Asian Speciality Drinks: % Value Growth 2025-2030
COUNTRY REPORTS DISCLAIMER

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