UK: Soft Drinks Sales Soar

Britons are drinking record amounts of soft drinks while all other drinks such as tea, coffee and alcohol are in decline, research has revealed. The report for the industry, compiled from independent data, found soft drinks sales leapt 10% per cent between 1998 and 99 as the UK guzzled about 1,000 glasses every second of every day. Soft drinks are now seen as indispensable, according to the report's authors Britivic, who say the market has grown to £6.7bn. Fizzy drinks remain the nation's favourite although consumers are found to be more experimental, wanting different flavours.