FOODNEWS

Friday February 13 2009

FRUIT juices will be the fastest and one of the largest segments of the UK soft drinks market, according to a new report by market research company, RNCOS.

The rising number of juice bars (on trade), new product innovation, changing consumer behaviour and a preference for healthy drinks and a healthy lifestyle will also boost fruit juice consumption in the UK, says the UK Health Drinks Market report.

According to an analyst at RNCOS: "The ongoing recession will not affect the consumption of fruit juices in the UK much and the consumption growth will only fall marginally in the next 8-10 months.

The market will maintain healthy growth momentum on the back of changing consumer preference.

"It is anticipated that the demand for economical private label products and in-house developed products in supermarkets and hypermarkets will rise, compared with premium and branded products, as consumers will try to maintain their fruit juice intake level.

"Despite a shift in preference and a slight slowdown in growth, fruit juices will remain an important segment of the health drinks market and continue to drive the industry growth."