Focus On Juices and Smoothies: 5 March

By Niamh Leonard-Bedwell N.Leonard-Bedwell@thegrocer.co.uk 

Publishing: 5 March 2022
Advertising deadline: 18 February 2022
Submissions deadline: 11 February 2022

Long written off as a declining category, juice and smoothies enjoyed a surprise revival over the past few years. And somehow, the category keeps getting sweeter. While much of grocery suffered a sales dip after the boom of 2020, juice and smoothies have grown by 4.3% to reach £1.45bn in sales [NielsenIQ 52 w/e 26 December 2021]. So what’s driving growth in juices and smoothies? Could there be more goodness to be squeezed from this category yet? And can the category adapt to our increasing fixation on dietary health?

Price: To what extent has price driven value growth in the market? Are price rises down to more premium propositions, a reduction in promotions, inflation, or a mix of all three? And how will the category be impacted by inflation in the coming year?

Health: Juices and smoothies have been fending off accusations of being too sugary for a while now, a trend unlikely to change with impending HFSS regulations. So how can the category address shoppers’ health concerns? And what role will functional benefits play?

Segments: Sales have grown faster in freshly pressed and smoothies than the rest of the juice category, while from concentrate has declined. Why are shoppers trading up to more elaborate and fresher products in the category? And what can grocery do to capitalise on this trend?

Occasions: Juice is most famous as a breakfast drink, while also proving a popular item at lunchtime. Analysts have suggested more can be done to market it as a soft drink, including at evening times. What untapped opportunities are there for the category in a post-lockdown world?

Innovations: Profile of four new products or ranges that have not appeared in The Grocer before. We need launch date, rsp, and a hi-res picture of each.