Sports & energy drinks has overtaken cola as the number one segment in soft drinks for the first time, according to new NIQ data.
Amid soaring interest in functional soft drinks, value sales of sports & energy drinks hit £675.2m over the past 12 weeks, leapfrogging cola which delivered £667.1m in value sales over the same period [NIQ 12 w/e 9 May 2026].
Over the past 26 and 52 weeks, cola remains the biggest segment within soft drinks, but the gap between it and sports & energy is shrinking. Cola is now worth just £59.9m more in value sales on an annual basis, significantly down from a lead of more than £700m it held four years ago [NIQ].
Meanwhile, sports & energy drinks accounted for 22.3% of the £3.0bn of reported soft drinks sales in the past 12 weeks, up from 21.7% over the past 52 weeks.
Category at a crossroad
Sports & energy drinks was set to become the most valuable segment in soft drinks on an annual basis before the end of the year, predicted Lotte Tregear, customer marketing director at Red Bull.
“We are at an absolutely fascinating moment in the history of soft drinks,” said Tregear. “Cola has been the number one subcategory within soft drinks for at least 30 years, but we’re now seeing sports & energy push ahead.”
The NIQ data was “the ultimate verification that shoppers want more for their soft drinks spend than simply great-tasting refreshing drinks,” according to Tregear.
“This shift should be on the forefront of everyone’s planning for the year and year’s ahead,” she said. “On-the-go soft drinks have been led by sports & energy for a while, but the total market now being led by sports & energy should challenge us all on how we maximise not simply the OTG opportunity, but also the growing take-home opportunity.
“Whether you are a wholesaler, a retailer, a convenience specialist, a discounter, an online retailer or anyone who sells soft drinks, sports & energy is a key choice to get right in any and every range.”
Red Bull out in front
Red Bull remains the number one brand within sports & energy, with sales having climbed 15.3% on volumes up 7.7% in the past year [NIQ 52 w/e 21 March 2026].
The brand had maintained category leadership “by having the right product to meet every shopper need and occasion,” Tregear said.
Innovation across flavours, formats and zero sugar were “not only helping to grow the brand incrementally, but also influencing the continued growth of the core,” she added.
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