Soft Drinks in Latin America

May 2025

After seeing declining sales due to the pandemic in 2020, Latin America enjoyed three years of solid growth until 2024, when the increase in sales dipped at a regional level, negatively impacted by the shrinking of the Argentinian market due to the tough economic climate in this country. However, positive growth is expected across the region from 2025, boosted by Latin America housing two of the three biggest carbonates country markets globally in Mexico and Brazil.

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Key Findings

Growth in Mexico and Brazil, decline in Argentina

While Mexico and Brazil continued to power ahead in 2024 in terms of both off- and on-trade sales, the soft drinks market in Argentina registered marked declines in both volume and value terms in this year. Austerity measures implemented by the new president as well as still sky-high inflation were significantly impacting consumers’ purchasing power in Argentina in 2024.

End of Precios Justos favours small local grocers

Small local grocers continue to lead distribution in many markets across Latin America, including its biggest in Mexico. However, supermarkets/hypermarkets dominate sales in Brazil, the number two market, and, in combination, also outsell small local grocers in Argentina, although the latter was regaining some share in 2024 in this country with the scrapping of the Precios Justos price control programme, which had tended to favour modern grocery retailers.

HW driving product innovation in Mexico

Health and wellness continues to play a key role in soft drinks product innovation in Mexico. New product launches emphasise the functionality of specific ingredients, and have included more specific claims that target certain audiences, eg Volt Pink, an energy drink with collagen and aloe vera that is targeted at female consumers. Other popular claims in 2024 have included extra hydration, natural ingredients, and fortification with vitamins.

“Sin tax” for Brazil?

Some products (eg energy drinks, carbonates with added sugar, industrialised juices) in the Brazilian market could be impacted in the coming years by proposals to implement a so-called sin tax in 2025. This would see taxes on basic and natural foods reduced and taxes increased on overprocessed foods and other products considered to carry health risks.

Key findings
Latin America has the fourth highest regional sales of soft drinks
Steady value and volume growth expected in the coming years
Latin America has the biggest regional market for carbonates
Drought causes a surge in bottled water sales in Uruguay in 2023
Energy drinks recording dynamic growth in Brazil over 2019-2024
Carbonates category adds the most new sales over 2019-2024
Health and wellness among the driving trends for soft drinks product innovation
Difficult economic backdrop sees soft drinks sales decline in Argentina in 2024
Small local grocers lead off-trade distribution of soft drinks in Latin America
Discounters gain share against an inflationary backdrop
Mostly concentrated competitive landscapes across Latin America
Coca-Cola targets Argentinian consumers suffering in the country’s high inflation
Coca-Cola and PepsiCo present across the region in Latin America
Heineken launches Clash’d carbonates brand in Brazil
Steady value and volume growth expected in the coming years
Argentina expected to see a return to positive growth from 2025
Argentina: Market Context
Argentina : Competitive and Retail Landscape
Bolivia: Market Context
Bolivia : Competitive and Retail Landscape
Brazil: Market Context
Brazil : Competitive and Retail Landscape
Chile: Market Context
Chile : Competitive and Retail Landscape
Colombia: Market Context
Colombia : Competitive and Retail Landscape
Costa Rica: Market Context
Costa Rica : Competitive and Retail Landscape
Dominican Republic: Market Context
Dominican Republic : Competitive and Retail Landscape
Ecuador: Market Context
Ecuador : Competitive and Retail Landscape
Guatemala: Market Context
Guatemala : Competitive and Retail Landscape
Mexico: Market Context
Mexico : Competitive and Retail Landscape
Peru: Market Context
Peru : Competitive and Retail Landscape
Uruguay: Market Context
Uruguay : Competitive and Retail Landscape

Soft Drinks

This is the aggregation of the following categories; Carbonates, Fruit/vegetable juice, Bottled water, Functional drinks, Concentrates, RTD tea, RTD coffee and Asian speciality drinks.

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