CarlsbergBritvic-SDR-Foodservice-v15 - Flipbook - Page 44
Welcome
Sustainability
A new generation is reshaping the soft drinks market, in
foodservice and beyond: Generation Z. The people in this
group, so named because they’re following in the footsteps
of Generations X and Y (also known as millennials), grew
up in a different world to their parents. As a result, their
behaviours, priorities and values contrast starkly to those
of older generations. In fact, we’d like to propose an
alternative name for Gen Z: the Hydration Generation.
That’s because Gen Z, which comprises people born
between 1997 and 2012,1 is one of the generations fuelling
the growth of tap water, as well as packaged hydration
offers like flavoured waters and iced tea.2 These categories
Category overview
now make up 31% of everything this generation drinks,
up 2.1% points since 2019, and 6% points higher than
the average consumer in the UK.2 This presents both
challenges and opportunities for foodservice operators.
And with Gen Z accounting for 15% of the population3
(more than 10 million people3), these are opportunities
that businesses can’t afford to ignore. We therefore need
to find new ways to excite them with soft drinks. Over
the following pages, we’ll explore how we’re helping our
partners do just that by rising to new challenges and
unlocking additional opportunities…
INTRODUCING…
THE HYDRATION GENERATION
A central tenet of generational theory is simple: age
determines attitudes and behaviour.4 It’s not an exact
science, of course (generational boundaries are by their
nature blurry), but it’s been proven time and time again
that the shared experiences of people of similar ages
have a direct influence on how they behave as groups.4
Take Generation Z’s attitudes to drinking. Not only are
Gen Zs significantly less likely to drink alcohol than
their parents were at the same age (72% of adults
under 35 drank alcohol in 2003; 20 years later that
number had fallen to 62%)5; they’re also far more
likely to opt for tap water when they do have a drink.2
There are several reasons for this. The rise of social
media, better understanding of the benefits of
responsible drinking, and greater financial awareness
are among the reasons for falling alcohol use.5
Government policy changes and grass roots campaigns
during Gen Zs’ formative years have also driven the rise
in water consumption.
These include the 2006 ban of foods high in fat, salt or
sugar from school meals or vending machines in schools
throughout England.6 The growing use of reusable water
bottles throughout the noughties and 2010s, prompted
by campaigns from groups such as Surfers Against
Sewage7 and growing environmental awareness have
also driven the rise in water consumption.
WHO ARE
GENERATIONS X, Y AND Z?8
BORN
AGE IN
2025
GENERATION Z
1997 – 2012
13 – 28
GENERATION Y (MILLENNIALS)
1981 – 1996
29 – 44
GENERATION X
1965 – 1980
45 – 60
1 Beresford Research: https://www.beresfordresearch.com/age-range-by-generation/
2 Kantar In Home Usage Panel (52 weeks), August 2024
3 Mintel – UK lifestyles of Gen Z Consumer Report
4 https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2015/09/03/the-whys-and-hows-of-generations-research/
5 https://time.com/7203140/gen-z-drinking-less-alcohol/
6 http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/4287712.stm
7 https://www.cmscoms.com/?p=8935#:~:text=The%20Surfers%20Against%20Sewage%20Message%20In%20A%20Bottle%20campaign%20is,all%20litter%20(by%20volume).
8 Beresford Research: https://www.beresfordresearch.com/age-range-by-generation/
44
FOODSERVICE DEEP DIVE
