The major emerging markets of China, Brazil and India have enabled the big multinationals to endure the effects of the recession in developed markets over the past two years.
But now there are signs of recovery in these stagnant regions. The growth trend has turned positive for carbonates in four developed markets in 2010, including the important US market.
Euromonitor has identified carbonates as one of the most striking stories of the recovery.
They have been struggling in recent years, posting annual average growth of 0.8 per cent in 2008 and 2009, but last year, the market researcher said that figure rose to 1.9 per cent.
The source of this growth has been broad based. In addition to the four developed markets that turned positive in 2010, Euromonitor said there were eight developing markets that returned to growth after contracting last year.
And no developed market that had positive growth in 2009 turned negative in 2010.
The recovery of carbonates is particularly important for the industry as a whole because of their share of the global market – they account for around 41 per cent of total value in soft drinks, according to Euromonitor.