Soft drinks is booming but excitement alone won’t drive sustainable growth. Hear from experts at Tesco, Coca-Cola Europacific Partners GB, Kantar and the British Soft Drinks Association as they break down the trends worth backing, the health agenda reshaping the category and what it really takes to advance in a competitive market.
Soft drinks is one of grocery’s true powerhouse categories, bursting with big brands and credible challengers both delivering bold innovation.
Eye-catching NPD abounds: whether it’s elevated adult soft drinks, flavour innovation, healthy hydration or functional beverages enhanced with protein and fibre, this is a category that has captured modern consumers’ imagination like few others.
But long-term success takes more than being smart about trends. At a time when volumes are under pressure, retailers and drinks suppliers must deliver not just excitement but also meaningful, sustainable growth for the entire category.
So, what’s the right balance between championing innovation and looking after the fundamentals? Which trends are genuinely worth backing? And how will a more health-conscious consumer – and a health-driven regulatory agenda – shape the future of the category?
For our latest Grocer Vision webinar, we are bringing together experts from Tesco, Coca‑Cola Europacific Partners GB (CCEP), Kantar and the British Soft Drinks Association to put some of the biggest talking points in grocery through a soft drinks-specific lens and explore how to ensure the category continues to perform long into the future.
Our panel will discuss the most promising strategies for sustainable growth, including how to drive penetration, frequency and trade-up, in the context of changing consumer needs and habits. They’ll also consider why it’s important to take a more holistic approach to soft drinks within retail – from colas and water through to energy and in-demand alcohol RTD.
Plus, you’ll get the chance to put your own questions to our panel.
Register now to join the webinar on March 25th at 11am
Meet the panel:
Lauren Tredgett, category buying manager for soft drinks and chilled at Tesco
Lauren joined Tesco in 2010 on the buying commercial graduate scheme, working across categories including convenience, bakery, household and impulse. She has been a category buying manager since 2020, leading clean and laundry during the pandemic before taking on soft drinks and juice three years ago.
Masha Voskresenskaia, director of category management at Coca‑Cola Europacific Partners GB
As director of category management for CCEP, Masha has over 18 years of experience across category management, portfolio strategy, marketing and business intelligence. Over her eight years at CCEP, she has held senior commercial and insight roles across GB and Europe.
She now leads insight-driven portfolio strategy, developing actionable category guidance that supports the growth of CCEP’s brands and delivers tangible value for customers. Working closely with retail partners, Masha focuses on practical category solutions that unlock growth opportunities and strengthen category performance.
Nicki Morley, global innovation solution lead at Kantar
Nicki leads the innovation solution area globally for Kantar, one of the world’s leading marketing data and analytics businesses, where she is the company’s foremost expert in FMCG, sustainability and behavioural science.
Before Kantar, she spent 13 years at Unilever in consumer insights across R&D and marketing, working on brands including Persil and Cif, and founded the company’s Innovation Garage — an entrepreneurial initiative applying new thinking across the innovation funnel. Holding a PhD in behavioural science and postdoctoral qualifications in design thinking, she helps global clients identify, develop and launch innovations in meaningfully differentiated spaces.
Andy Bagnall, director general of the British Soft Drinks Association
Andy Bagnall is the Director General of the British Soft Drinks Association (BSDA), representing UK producers of soft drinks, from carbonated beverages and juices to bottled waters. In this role, he leads the industry’s engagement with governments across the UK to ensure policy proposals are practical and evidence-based.
Andy’s career spans politics, public affairs, and trade associations. He worked as a special adviser in the Cabinet Office and Ministry of Defence and later held senior roles at the CBI and KPMG before joining the Rail Delivery Group, where he became Director General and later Chief Executive of Rail Partners. At the BSDA, Andy leads a team working on environmental initiatives such as the UK-wide deposit return scheme, as well as government public health priorities, helping to highlight the sector’s progress on sugar reduction and its wide range of products, catering to all tastes and preference.
Julia Glotz, moderator
Julia is a writer, editor and consultant specialising in food and drink, with more than 15 years’ experience working in trade media. She was on staff at The Grocer for nine years, including five years as managing editor.
