SUCCESS STRATEGIES FOR SOFT DRINKS
INTRODUCTION
The non-alcoholic beverage market may be growing at a measured pace, but that doesn’t mean the category is standing still. GlobalData projects soft drinks will grow at a 0.9% CAGR from 2026 to 2031, following 0.6% CAGR growth from 2021 to 2025. Behind those numbers, evolving consumer expectations are creating new consumption occasions and accelerating innovation. Taste remains fundamental, but today’s consumers increasingly expect beverages to do more. They are seeking products that support wellness goals, fit individual lifestyles, deliver sophisticated experiences, and offer convenience and flexibility. As Euromonitor notes, faster-moving trends and shorter product life cycles are making adaptability important for brands. For beverage companies, that means staying attuned to changing consumer needs—and ensuring packaging can evolve alongside them.
Here are five trends shaping the next generation of non-alcoholic beverages.
METABOLIC HEALTH MOVES INTO THE MAINSTREAM
Functional beverages have been growing for years, but increased GLP-1 use and a more holistic approach to weight management are now influencing the category. These shifts are impacting how consumers think about nutrition, satiety, hydration, and overall wellness. While energy remains a leading benefit, metabolic claims are creating additional opportunities across drink categories. GlobalData identified “Metabolic Balance” as a recent trend accelerating demand for nutrient-dense, hydration-focused beverages. High-fiber, highprotein, and prebiotic beverages are gaining attention, with GlobalData noting that prebiotic and gut-health sodas are growing faster than other functional soda segments.
“The Metabolic Balance trend is accelerating market development for nutrient-dense, hydration-led beverages.” (GlobalData)
These products need to fit conveniently into consumers’ routines. Powder sticks, liquid concentrates, shots, and countertop dispensing systems can offer portable or customizable alternatives to traditional bottles and cans. Beyond pack format, brands have an opportunity to make functionality clear and credible. Clean information hierarchies, strong claim callouts, and packaging that reinforces science-backed positioning can help functional beverages quickly communicate their purpose. Berlin Packaging’s design and innovation engine, Studio One Eleven®, gave Doctor D’s a modern refresh that clearly calls out probiotic gut-health benefits while boosting taste appeal.
SOBER SOPHISTICATION RAISES THE BAR
As moderation becomes mainstream, non-alcoholic beverages are taking on a new role. A recent GlobalData study found that 32% of respondents reported consuming low- or zero-alcohol alternatives four to seven days per week. Consumers aren’t simply looking for alternatives to alcohol—they are looking for sophisticated beverages that can replace some of the experience surrounding it, including relaxation, ritual, social connection, and sensory reward. This is creating space for adult-oriented soft drinks with complex flavor profiles, distinctive ingredients, and craft-inspired credentials. Instead of competing with traditional soda, these products can borrow from cocktail culture and premium spirits to create a more elevated experience.
“The global move towards drinking less alcohol, particularly among younger adults seeking safer evening rituals…is creating demand for credible, enjoyable unwind options that deliver relaxation without impairment.” (Euromonitor)
Packaging can reinforce that positioning. Premium materials, distinctive silhouettes, refined closures, tactile finishes, and sophisticated decoration can help communicate quality and create anticipation. Studio One Eleven developed a custom structure for Verse non-alcoholic social beverages that signals that the product belongs in a cocktail glass, at a dinner table, or in a social setting. Rather than looking like a conventional soft drink, the specially decorated custom glass bottle has a unique conical silhouette, tactile V-shaped rib pattern, and premium metallic cap that distinguish it as something sophisticated and special.
PERSONALIZATION BECOMES PART OF THE PRODUCT
Consumers increasingly expect products to align with their individual preferences and needs. In beverages, that expectation is opening the door to formats that give consumers greater control over what, when, and how they drink. Dirty soda is one example of this shift, allowing consumers to customize a familiar beverage with different flavors and additions. Euromonitor notes that powders, concentrates, shots, and countertop systems are growing faster than traditional bottled or canned formats in several markets. These alternatives can create opportunities for personalization while also supporting new routes to market.
“Consumers expect experiences that are relevant to their lifestyle, goals and moments of need. Personalization helps brands build deeper connections and drive loyalty.” (GlobalData)
Packaging is an important enabler. Modular formats, customizable labels, variety packs, and dispensing systems can give consumers greater control over their beverage experience. QR codes and other digital touchpoints can further connect packaging to recommendations, recipes, product information, or personalized content. The result is packaging that does more than contain a beverage—it becomes part of the consumer experience.
MINI FORMATS MEET MODERN NEEDS
The beverage category is seeing a shift to smaller formats that address several consumer priorities at once: convenience, affordability, portion control, trial, and occasional indulgence. For consumers managing budgets, smaller pack sizes can provide a lower price point without requiring them to abandon premium or functional products. For health-conscious consumers, they can provide a way to enjoy a favorite beverage in a more controlled portion. And for brands, smaller formats can create opportunities to encourage trial and introduce consumers to new products or flavors.
“Affordability now defines competitive advantage. Value creation is shifting towards low cost per serving, smaller packs and simplified (but often functional) formulations. Winning brands balance accessibility with margin protection, as consumers become more selective, price sensitive and unevenly impacted across markets.” (Euromonitor)
Major beverage companies are responding. Coca-Cola has introduced a 7.5- ounce single-serve format in convenience stores, while Pepsi is introducing smaller pack sizes designed to offer more affordable options and encourage consumers to explore different products. For packaging teams, the rise of mini formats requires more than simply scaling down an existing package. Proportion, ergonomics, shelf impact, decoration, and manufacturing economics all need to be considered. The goal is to create a smaller package that still feels distinctive and delivers the brand experience consumers expect.
DIGITAL DISCOVERY CHANGES PACKAGING'S JOB
The path to purchase is increasingly shaped online. Consumers discover new beverages through search, social feeds, influencers, creators, and online conversations—and those interactions can determine which products gain momentum. Euromonitor describes social platforms as increasingly important demand-shaping systems, requiring brands to respond more quickly to changes in culture, ingredients, and flavor preferences. The influence is particularly strong among younger consumers. According to GlobalData, 44% of Gen Z and 45% of Millennials say social media influencers affect their food and drink purchases.
“Brands that invest in cultural monitoring, rapid response and creator ecosystems as operational capabilities will outperform those still treating digital as a communications layer.” (Euromonitor)
That means beverage packaging needs to work in two environments: on the shelf and on the screen. Distinctive silhouettes, bold graphics, unexpected details, and recognizable brand codes can help products stand out in social content. Brands should also consider how packaging will appear in photography, video, unboxing, and product-reveal moments. A package that is instantly recognizable in a TikTok video or Instagram post has the potential to become part of the product’s marketing engine.
LOOKING AHEAD
The next generation of non-alcoholic beverages will be shaped by consumers looking for more from every drink—more functionality, more sophistication, more personalization, more value, and more relevance to individual lifestyles. For beverage brands, responding to these trends requires packaging that communicates emerging benefits, supports new consumption occasions, creates elevated experiences, and adapts to changing ways of drinking. Strong branding can make functionality more visible. Designing a distinctive package structure can elevate a nonalcoholic occasion. A smaller pack size can encourage trial. And digital touchpoints can extend the consumer experience beyond the bottle or can.
Berlin Packaging helps brands succeed with tens of thousands of stock components, branding and structural development services, sustainability expertise, quality-control capabilities, end-to-end supply chain management, and more. We’re a full-service business partner helping beverage brands win in 2026 and beyond.
Moira Stein
Market Insights & Brand Strategy Specialist
Moira Stein has over 20 years of experience developing insight-based branding and design solutions for clients across various categories, from small start-ups to Fortune 500 companies. She provides Berlin Packaging customers with consumer and market insights to help grow their business and partners with the Studio One Eleven Design & Innovation division on impactful design solutions that win at shelf.
The brands mentioned in this report are trademarks of their respective owners. Inclusion of these brands in this report is not meant to imply an association with or endorsement from the respective trademark owners.