Key facts on non alcoholic beverages

- 30% of soft drinks sales across Europe are no- and low-sugar varieties

- The European beverages market totals some 123 billion litres per year

- Soft drinks contribute around 2% of calories to the average daily diet in Europe 

- Non-alcoholic beverages are an essential part of everyone’s daily diet as they maintain hydration levels.  

- Water represents some 90% of a sugar-containing carbonated drink - even more in low calorie versions

- UNESDA members committed in 2006 to not advertise to children under 12 on TV, in print or online

- UNESDA members committed in 2006 not to offer their products for sale in primary schools across the EU

- UNESDA was named and praised by the European Commission for its Commitments to the EU Platform for Action on Diet, Physical Activity and Health

- The European soft drinks industry was the first to adopt Guideline Daily Amount  nutrition labelling as an entire sector back in 2007.  

- The majority of ingredients used in beverages are sourced locally and production is situated relatively close to markets and consumers, resulting in low food miles.

- The soft drinks industry is highly innovative with some 40% of the products on sale today having been introduced in the past five years.

- A regular soft drink in a 330ml can contains around 139 calories.

- A 33ml can of a regular soft drink contains about 35 gms of sugar - about the same as an equivalent glass of orange juice. Sugar is an entirely natural and wholesome product.