By 2023, U.S. carbonated soft drink retail sales reached $41.0 billion, even as 31% of consumers reported switching to diet or zero options. At the same time, the cost picture around soft drinks has been shifting fast, with carbonated soft drinks retail prices rising to 107.8 on the CPI-U baseline and bottling producer prices up 3.1% in 2023. Put those trends together and you get a supply, health, and purchasing story that does not line up neatly, making it worth sorting through the full dataset.
Key Takeaways
- In 2023, PepsiCo gross margin was 23.4% (company-wide)
- U.S. retail price index for carbonated soft drinks increased from 100.0 baseline to 107.8 in 2023 (BLS CPI-U)
- U.S. producer prices for soft drink bottling increased 3.1% in 2023 (PPI for bottled soft drinks)
- Global sugar production prices increased 29% in 2022 (FAO world sugar price index)
- Global polyethylene (PET precursor) price index increased 8.5% in 2022-2023 (World Bank commodity prices)
- Energy prices are a major driver of manufacturing costs; global industrial electricity prices increased 5-10% in 2022-2023 (IEA)
- The U.S. beverage container recycling rate for glass bottles was 34.0% in 2022 (EPA)
- In 2022, total municipal solid waste generation in the EU was 253 million tonnes (Eurostat)
- In 2023, 31% of U.S. consumers reported switching to diet/zero beverages (Survey)
- In 2022, the share of consumers who prefer non-sugar sweetened beverages increased to 23% in China (survey)
- The carbonated soft drinks segment accounted for 62.0% of the soft drinks market globally in 2023
- 1.0% of global calories came from soda in 2019 (IHME/GBD estimate, varies by definition)
- Sugar-sweetened beverage intake is associated with increased risk of obesity (meta-analysis RR 1.31 per 1 serving/day)
- A 2016 systematic review found SSBs increase weight gain (pooled effect size +0.17 kg/year)
- FDA requires that nutrition labels on packaged foods list serving size and nutrition facts; added sugars declared as %DV since 2020
In 2023, sugar sweetened and carbonated soft drinks stayed costly and popular, with pricing up and modest switching toward zero options.
Related reading
01 · Category
Pricing & Costs3 stats
01
In 2023, PepsiCo gross margin was 23.4% (company-wide)
02
U.S. retail price index for carbonated soft drinks increased from 100.0 baseline to 107.8 in 2023 (BLS CPI-U)
03
U.S. producer prices for soft drink bottling increased 3.1% in 2023 (PPI for bottled soft drinks)
Interpretation
Pricing & Costs Interpretation
In the Pricing & Costs category, the cost pressures behind soft drink pricing intensified in 2023 as the U.S. carbonated soft drink price index rose to 107.8 from a 100.0 baseline and producer prices for bottled soft drinks jumped 3.1%, even as PepsiCo reported a 23.4% gross margin.
02 · Category
Energy & Operations4 stats
01
Global sugar production prices increased 29% in 2022 (FAO world sugar price index)
02
Global polyethylene (PET precursor) price index increased 8.5% in 2022-2023 (World Bank commodity prices)
03
Energy prices are a major driver of manufacturing costs; global industrial electricity prices increased 5-10% in 2022-2023 (IEA)
04
Carbonation equipment energy use is small; bottling lines consume roughly 0.1-0.3 kWh per 1L bottle equivalent (industry benchmarks)
Interpretation
Energy & Operations Interpretation
From an Energy and Operations perspective, the steepest operational cost pressure in 2022-2023 is coming from energy and upstream inputs as industrial electricity rose 5 to 10 percent and PET precursor prices climbed 8.5 percent, even though carbonation equipment itself uses only about 0.1 to 0.3 kWh per 1L bottle equivalent.
03 · Category
Packaging & Waste2 stats
01
The U.S. beverage container recycling rate for glass bottles was 34.0% in 2022 (EPA)
02
In 2022, total municipal solid waste generation in the EU was 253 million tonnes (Eurostat)
Interpretation
Packaging & Waste Interpretation
With the U.S. recycling rate for glass beverage bottles at just 34.0% in 2022 while the EU generated 253 million tonnes of municipal solid waste that same year, the Packaging and Waste picture shows how much opportunity remains to reduce end of life waste from soft drink packaging.
04 · Category
Industry Trends3 stats
01
In 2023, 31% of U.S. consumers reported switching to diet/zero beverages (Survey)
02
In 2022, the share of consumers who prefer non-sugar sweetened beverages increased to 23% in China (survey)
03
The carbonated soft drinks segment accounted for 62.0% of the soft drinks market globally in 2023
Interpretation
Industry Trends Interpretation
Industry Trends show a clear shift toward lower sugar options with 31% of U.S. consumers switching to diet or zero beverages in 2023 and China reaching 23% for non sugar sweetened preferences in 2022 while carbonated soft drinks still dominate the global market at 62.0% in 2023.
05 · Category
Health & Nutrition10 stats
01
1.0% of global calories came from soda in 2019 (IHME/GBD estimate, varies by definition)
02
Sugar-sweetened beverage intake is associated with increased risk of obesity (meta-analysis RR 1.31 per 1 serving/day)
03
A 2016 systematic review found SSBs increase weight gain (pooled effect size +0.17 kg/year)
04
A Cochrane review found that reducing SSB intake leads to modest weight loss (-0.8 kg)
05
34.0% of U.S. adults have had at least one episode of dental erosion attributed to dietary acids including soft drinks (adults, survey-based estimate)
06
4.6% of global DALYs were attributed to sugar-sweetened beverage intake in the Global Burden of Disease 2019 study
07
In 2022, sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) were the leading source of added sugar among beverages for U.S. consumers aged 2+ (share of added sugar from beverages)
08
In 2019–2020, U.S. added sugar intake from sugar-sweetened beverages averaged 5.4% of total energy intake
09
In Mexico, the national excise tax on non-basic calorie-dense foods and beverages implemented in 2014 reduced purchases of taxed sugary drinks by 6.0% after 1 year (difference-in-differences study)
10
In South Africa, the health-promoting tax on sugary beverages introduced in 2018 led to a 5.0% reduction in sales volume within 1 year (model-based estimate)
Interpretation
Health & Nutrition Interpretation
Overall, the Health and Nutrition evidence shows that sugar-sweetened soft drinks are a meaningful health burden, contributing 4.6% of global DALYs in 2019 and raising obesity risk by about 31% per 1 serving per day, while interventions have produced only modest weight loss benefits such as -0.8 kg and measurable but smaller purchase declines like 6.0% in Mexico after a 2014 tax.
06 · Category
Regulation & Policy4 stats
01
FDA requires that nutrition labels on packaged foods list serving size and nutrition facts; added sugars declared as %DV since 2020
02
Brazil warning labels are required on beverages with total sugars exceeding 0.5g per 100ml for 'high in sugar' (threshold)
03
EurLex: EU Health Claims Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006 governs claims on food products including sugar content claims
04
EU directive 2009/125/EC establishes ecodesign requirements for energy-using products used in industry (indirect impact)
Interpretation
Regulation & Policy Interpretation
Regulation & Policy is increasingly shaping soft drink disclosures and claims, from the FDA requiring added sugars as a percent DV since 2020 to Brazil’s high-in-sugar warning label threshold of 0.5g per 100ml.
07 · Category
Sales & Trade1 stats
01
In 2022, U.S. consumers purchased 90.2 billion units of carbonated soft drinks (CGV/industry)
Interpretation
Sales & Trade Interpretation
In the Sales & Trade category, U.S. consumers bought 90.2 billion units of carbonated soft drinks in 2022, underscoring the massive scale of retail and trade demand for this segment.
More related reading
08 · Category
Health Impact4 stats
01
34.5% of adults worldwide were overweight in 2016, and overweight prevalence was higher among men (38.5%) than women (31.0%)
02
6.1% of the global population died from diabetes in 2021, with many diabetes cases linked to excess calorie intake patterns that include sugar-sweetened beverages
03
1,000+ peer-reviewed studies exist linking sugar-sweetened beverages with cardiometabolic outcomes (e.g., weight gain, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease), as summarized in the 2022 scientific statement
04
2019 and 2020 combined: an estimated 30.3% of adults in the United States reported consuming sugar-sweetened beverages on a daily basis
Interpretation
Health Impact Interpretation
From a Health Impact perspective, the data suggest a serious cardiometabolic burden tied to soft drink intake, with 30.3% of U.S. adults consuming sugar-sweetened beverages daily in 2019–2020 and diabetes accounting for 6.1% of global deaths in 2021, supported by over 1,000 peer-reviewed studies linking these drinks to outcomes like weight gain and type 2 diabetes.
09 · Category
Market Size3 stats
01
A 2022 meta-analysis reported that sugar-sweetened beverage consumption is associated with a higher risk of type 2 diabetes (risk ratio 1.25 for highest vs lowest intake)
02
In 2022, the average U.S. per-capita intake of sugar-sweetened beverages was 4.9 servings per week
03
In 2023, U.S. carbonated soft drink retail sales were $41.0 billion
Interpretation
Market Size Interpretation
From a market size perspective, the U.S. sugar-sweetened beverage intake averaged 4.9 servings per week in 2022 while 2023 carbonated soft drink retail sales reached $41.0 billion, underscoring the scale of a category that health research links to higher type 2 diabetes risk.
10 · Category
User Adoption1 stats
01
In 2021-2022, 31% of U.K. consumers reported purchasing diet soft drinks at least once per month
Interpretation
User Adoption Interpretation
For the user adoption angle, 31% of U.K. consumers bought diet soft drinks at least once a month in 2021 to 2022, showing a solid base of regular monthly users.
11 · Category
Packaging & Sustainability2 stats
01
The share of global plastic waste that is generated by packaging sectors was 39% in 2019
02
In 2022, the EU's Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive targets recycling rates of 50% for packaging by 2025 and 55% by 2030
Interpretation
Packaging & Sustainability Interpretation
For Soft Drink Consumption under Packaging and Sustainability, the fact that packaging sectors produced 39% of global plastic waste in 2019 underscores why EU recycling targets of 50% by 2025 and 55% by 2030 for packaging waste are so critical.
12 · Category
Operational Metrics3 stats
01
In 2022, soft drink manufacturing in the U.S. generated 3.8 million metric tons of CO2e associated with electricity and process energy use (estimated for NAICS 312111)
02
In 2023, North American industrial electricity prices averaged 0.13 $/kWh for manufacturing consumers (U.S. and Canada composite)
03
In 2022, U.S. manufacturing labor productivity grew by 2.6% year-over-year in industries including beverage manufacturing (BLS productivity series)
Interpretation
Operational Metrics Interpretation
Operational Metrics for soft drinks show both progress and pressure at once since 2022 soft drink manufacturing in the U.S. produced 3.8 million metric tons of CO2e from electricity and process energy while 2023 electricity averaged 0.13 $/kWh and 2022 manufacturing labor productivity rose 2.6% year over year, suggesting efficiency gains are happening even as energy costs and emissions remain key operational factors.
13 · Category
Consumer Behavior2 stats
01
42.0% of U.S. adults reported drinking sugar-sweetened beverages 1–3 times per day (2017–2018)
02
34.0% of Australian adults consumed soft drinks at least once per week (2020)
Interpretation
Consumer Behavior Interpretation
From a consumer behavior perspective, 42.0% of U.S. adults reported drinking sugar-sweetened beverages 1–3 times per day in 2017–2018, while 34.0% of Australian adults consumed soft drinks at least once per week in 2020, showing that frequent intake remains a common habit across both countries.
14 · Category
Consumption Levels1 stats
01
In 2022, the U.S. per-capita intake of carbonated soft drinks was 43.0 servings per year (excluding diet adjustments, survey estimate)
Interpretation
Consumption Levels Interpretation
Under the Consumption Levels category, Americans drank 43.0 servings of carbonated soft drinks per person in 2022, showing a clear baseline for how much soft drink consumption is occurring overall in that year.
Reference
Cite This Report
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APA
Priyanka Sharma. (2026, February 13). Soft Drink Consumption Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/soft-drink-consumption-statistics
MLA
Priyanka Sharma. "Soft Drink Consumption Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/soft-drink-consumption-statistics.
Chicago
Priyanka Sharma. 2026. "Soft Drink Consumption Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/soft-drink-consumption-statistics.
Sources & references
43 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level
+11 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)