Hungarians neck 184 million bottles/cans of cola annually

Cola sales represented a value of over 50 billion HUF, and almost 3 million hectolitres of cola was sold in Hungary between July 2018 and June 2019. This translates as 10+ percent growth in value and 7 percent in volume compared to the same period previous year. Branded labels dominate the market, private label cola registers an 8% share, reveals Nielsen retail index.

Cola has a market share of over 60 percent in value among the carbonated soft drinks category.  The majority (60%) of this 300 million litres of refresher is purchased at shops bigger than 400 square metres.

If cola, then sugary: more than two thirds of the drinks sold contain sugar, the rest is sugar-free. At the same time, the sugar-free segment expands three times as rapidly.

When it comes to sizes, almost half (45%) of the sales comes from 1-1.9 litre packaging and quarter of the sales value from the 2+ litre bottles. But cola is a loyal companion on the way, as well: one fifth of the overall sales comes from bottles/cans smaller than 1 litre.

„Cola consumption typically peaks in the summer festival season in July and August, and at the year-end, around Christmas” – says Dóra Hajnal Senior Analyst, Nielsen Hungary.

“Besides traditional cola flavour, other flavours like lemon or lime are taking a larger piece of the pie in terms of market share.”

The dominance of branded labels over private labels is indisputable, 90+ percent Hungarian cola enthusiasts actually opt for branded products. 

The brand-new Coca-Cola product already conquered Asia. Now, the company has announced that they would like to introduce their brand-new drink in Europe which means that the newest sensation of the American company will be available in Hungary as well, read more HERE.

Homophobes outraged by new Coca Cola ads in Hungarian subways

Source: Nielsen