The soft drinks industry might have to think of ways to retain their younger customers, considering these sugary soda mixes might not be this age group’s preferred beverages anymore. With Gen Z’s focus on better health and fitness, both eating and drinking habits have changed. Sugar consciousness is a leading factor in these changes, which has also resulted in that for the beverages industry. Better ingredients, sourcing and manufacturing practices are also driving Gen Z to this new mindset. The younger generation are definitely bringing the much needed revamp of eating practices that were characteristic of a small community of health-conscious people.
Sugar is a big NO in drinks for Gen Z
A study reveals that nearly 30% of India’s Gen Z have prefer healthier lifestyle, reports India Today. The publisher also links anecdotal evidence to this shift, where the price of these soft drinks in India are ridiculously low despite the current economy. It is no new fact that carbonated drinks contain immense levels of sugar, and health experts have long warned people about the risk they possess. Gen Z is finally the generation that is readily paying heed to this warning, which has led to a decrease in demand for these beverages.
Globally too, the youth is responding to soft drinks in a similar way. In a report that surveys American Gen Z and older millennials, 50% of them accept higher prices for drinks if they offer basic standards like low sugar and no artificial sweeteners. 56% of them are also actively steering clear of sugar in their drinks.
The Western Gen Z has come up with innovative ways of approaching healthy eating and drinking. These have been popularized by Gen Z’s most prime association, i.e. social media. Tadpole water, aka the cool version of chia seeds soaked in water, was a trend across social media. The flair of this plain drink is a dash of lemon juice. The latest of these trends is the cucumber salad and its myriad of flavoring combinations, courtesy of Logan Mofitt.
But despite this being a step in the right direction, a new evil has sprung up to deter Gen Z from their health and fitness goals.
Energy Drinks: The more dangerous beverages that have replaced soft drinks
Just because Gen z is moving away from carbonated drinks doesn’t mean their sweet tooth is also receding. A new player taking the beverage industry by storm, are energy drinks. Apart from the sugar content, these drinks bring with them heavy inputs of caffeine; another problem for those wanting to maintain their health.
Energy drinks bring with them an idea of youth, and are marketed as drinks for the eccentric. Sting and Charged, the biggest players in this market, feature ads with this exact ideology. Charge’s tagline says, “Mind Charged, toh body charged.” But in the process of charging, the energy drinks pose a serious threat to the cardiovascular system.
Energy Drinks are linked to blood pressure issues, among many other serious illnesses. TIME Magazine says that they are in fact more dangerous than soda, after quoting a stidy that found prolonged bold pressure in their subjects. A cardiologist also tells India Today that these beverages are often the culprit behind deaths that happen in gyms.
These drinks are now readily available in local shops. Financial Express reports that 570 million litres of energy drinks were consumed in India in 2023, according to Euromonitor. This is a 30-times jump from 2018, where the quantity averaged at 17-19 million litres. The extreme affordability of these drinks is what has made them so popular. Financial Express also finds that a 250 ml bottle of Sting is priced at a mere 20. So, despite the sugar-devil being ditched by Gen Z, the caffeine-devil has now taken its place.
Sugar and caffeine are two things that the youth are very much attracted to. Unfortunately, both these are present in the most average of food and beverages available in the market. While Gen Z is ready to pay more to have reduced sugar content, they should also be mindful of the dangers that come with the popularity of energy drinks that have replaced soft drinks. An informed guide to consuming such market beverages should be consulted by the youth before making a purchase.
