Beverage Industry logo
search
cart
facebook twitter linkedin youtube
  • Sign In
  • Create Account
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
Beverage Industry logo
  • NEWS
    • R&D News
    • Supplier News
  • PRODUCTS
    • New Products
    • Reader's Choice Poll
  • CATEGORIES
    • Alternative Drinks
    • Beer
    • Bottled Water
    • Cannabis Beverages
    • Carbonated Soft Drinks
    • Energy Drinks & Shots
    • Juice & Juice Drinks
    • Plant-Based Beverages
    • Sports Drinks
    • Tea and Coffee
    • Wine & Spirits
  • R&D
    • Beverage R&D Features
    • Ingredient Spotlight
  • PACKAGING
    • New Packages
    • Packaging Equipment
    • Packaging Material
  • OPERATIONS
    • Distribution
    • Plant Focus
  • TOP LISTS
    • Beer Market Report
    • Executive of the Year
    • State of the Beverage Industry
    • Top 100 Beverage Companies
    • Truck Report
    • Wholesaler of the Year
  • MEDIA
    • eBook
    • Podcast
    • Polls
    • Videos
    • Webinars
  • DIRECTORIES
    • Annual Manual
    • Contract Packaging Guide
    • Take a Tour
  • MORE
    • Classifieds
    • Channel Strategies
    • eNewsletters
    • Events
      • Membrane Technology Forum
    • Interactive Product Spotlights
    • Market Insights
    • Sponsor Insights
    • Store
    • White Papers
  • EMAG
    • eMagazine
    • Archived Issues
    • Advertise
  • SIGN UP!
Beverage NewsBottled WaterCarbonated Soft DrinksSports Drinks

Beverage community calorie reduction effort sees decrease for four straight years

Balance Calories Initiative halfway to national goal to reduce beverage calories by 20%

American_Beverage_900.jpg
February 3, 2022

Calories consumed from beverages continue to decline in communities where obesity rates are above the national average, according to an independent evaluator. For four years straight, the actions the beverage industry is taking nationally with public health partners to reduce the sugar people get from beverages is working, and the data proves it, states American Beverage, Washington, D.C.

Independent evaluator Keybridge LLC released its annual report on five select communities where the beverage industry is measuring progress of the Balance Calories Initiative (BCI), a national commitment by American Beverage, The Coca-Cola Co., Keurig Dr Pepper,and PepsiCo to reduce per-person beverage calories by 20% by 2025. 

The report details that average calories in each 8-ounce serving from 2014/15 (baseline start of BCI) through 2020 have gone down between 10% and 15.5% in all five communities, which include Eastern Los Angeles, Calif., Little Rock, Ark., Bronx/Brooklyn, N.Y., Montgomery and Lowndes counties, Ala., and the Mississippi Delta. 

Consumers in these five communities as well as nationally have shifted toward more beverages with low sugar and zero sugar and away from full-calorie beverages, the association states. This is a trend beverage companies have been working to achieve through the creation of more beverage choices with less sugar and smaller portion sizes, and by encouraging consumers to try to balance the sugar they get from beverages, it adds.

Beverage companies are now halfway to their national goal to reduce beverage calories by 20%. 

“I’m especially proud of the progress we’ve made in communities where we know consumers need more choices with less sugar to balance their lives,” said Katherine Lugar, president and CEO of American Beverage, in a statement. “Today, nearly 60% of all beverages sold are zero sugar, and our public-private partnerships with community groups are supporting consumer efforts to reduce the sugar in their diets.”

The calorie decreases have been driven largely by reductions in calories consumed from carbonated soft drinks, as well as an increase in the volume of low- and no-calorie beverages consumed. Depending on the community, per-person volume sales of low- and no-calorie beverages grew 8-33% while per person volume sales of full- and mid-calorie beverages decreased 1-19%.

Even with the pandemic shifting where consumers bought beverages and a decrease in some sales volume, the trend to buy more lower-calorie beverages continued. 

The beverage industry is furthering this trend through increased innovation of more options with less sugar. In the past three years, 61% of all new products introduced to the market were low-sugar or zero-sugar beverages. Beverage companies have launched numerous brands nationally with less sugar and smaller sizes, and have reformulated a number of full-calorie brands to have lower sugar. In addition, they have introduced several new sparkling waters that have contributed greatly to a 36.6% increase in per person volumes of water nationally. 

The Balance Calories Initiative launched in 2014 in collaboration with Alliance for a Healthier Generation, a leading children’s health organization that advances equitable whole child health. The initiative builds upon the efforts of beverage companies and health partners to decrease consumption of calories from beverages at a national and local level.

KEYWORDS: American Beverage Association (ABA) Balance Calories Initiative health and wellness low calorie

Share This Story

Looking for a reprint of this article?
From high-res PDFs to custom plaques, order your copy today!

Recommended Content

JOIN TODAY
to unlock your recommendations.

Already have an account? Sign In

  • top 100 beverage companies

    Top 100 Beverage Companies of 2024

    For the global beverage market, mergers and acquisitions...
    Beer
  • Chocolate, Strawberry, Vanilla shakes

    Classic flavors provide reliable, consistent results for beverage-makers

    Classic flavors of chocolate, vanilla and strawberry...
    Ingredient Spotlight
    By: Chloe Alverson
  • Free Spirits Instant Bar Bundle

    Lifestyle trends drive growth for non-alcohol category

    As lifestyle trends continue to drive growth for the...
    Alternative Drinks
    By: Lauren Sabetta
Manage My Account
  • eNewsletters
  • Online Registration
  • Subscription Customer Service
  • eMagazine Subscription
  • Manage My Preferences

More Videos

Sponsored Content

Sponsored Content is a special paid section where industry companies provide high quality, objective, non-commercial content around topics of interest to the Beverage Industry audience. All Sponsored Content is supplied by the advertising company and any opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and not necessarily reflect the views of Beverage Industry or its parent company, BNP Media. Interested in participating in our Sponsored Content section? Contact your local rep!

close
  • Fourpeople toasting with cocktails made with low-sugar ingredients, celebrating healthier drink options.
    Sponsored byCargill

    What’s Hot in Sugar Reduction: Beverages

  • chocolate milk
    Sponsored byCargill

    Sweetening the Future for Dairy and Dairy-Alternative Beverages

  • woman pouring a drink
    Sponsored byFFP

    Building a Beverage System: Meeting Consumer Demand for Precision Wellness

Popular Stories

Sting Energy

PepsiCo, Sting Energy unveil global partnership with Formula 1

top 100 beverage companies

Top 100 Beverage Companies of 2024

people drinking Wynk

Mindful drinking prompts growth for THC beverages

Top 100 Beverage Companies of 2024

Events

April 16, 2025

2025 State of the Industry Series: Alcoholic Beverages

On Demand In Beverage Industry’s annual State of the Industry: The Alcohol Beverage Market, analysts at S&D Insights LLC delve into these trends and how they’re shaping the industry.

June 26, 2025

FAST. FOCUSED. FUELED: Delivering Energy Consumers Can Feel

Learn how to formulate products that deliver the energy experiences that people want, and keep them coming back for more.

View All Submit An Event

Poll

Retail Coffee Segment

What retail coffee segments will fare well into the next year?
View Results Poll Archive

Products

Milk and Dairy Foods Nutrition, Processing and Healthy Aging

Milk and Dairy Foods Nutrition, Processing and Healthy Aging

See More Products

Related Articles

  • Beverage News

    New report shows national reduction in beverage calorie consumption

    See More
  • CELSIUS Kiwi Guava - Beverage Industry

    Performance beverage market sees impact of low-calorie

    See More
  • American Beverage

    Report shows reduction of consumer calories from beverages

    See More

Related Products

See More Products
  • nanoinbev.jpg

    Nanoengineering in the Beverage Industry 1st Edition

  • food and bev control.jpg

    Food and Beverage Cost Control, 7th Edition

  • bigfood.jpg

    Big Food: Critical perspectives on the global growth of the food and beverage industry

See More Products
×

Elevate your expertise in the beverage marketplace with unparalleled insights and connections.

Join thousands of beverage professionals today. Shouldn’t you know what they know?

JOIN NOW!
  • RESOURCES
    • Advertise
    • Contact Us
    • Directories
    • Store
    • Want More
  • SIGN UP TODAY
    • Create Account
    • eMagazine
    • eNewsletter
    • Customer Service
    • Manage Preferences
  • SERVICES
    • Marketing Services
    • Reprints
    • Market Research
    • List Rental
    • Survey/Respondent Access
  • STAY CONNECTED
    • LinkedIn
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
    • X (Twitter)
  • PRIVACY
    • PRIVACY POLICY
    • TERMS & CONDITIONS
    • DO NOT SELL MY PERSONAL INFORMATION
    • PRIVACY REQUEST
    • ACCESSIBILITY

Copyright ©2025. All Rights Reserved BNP Media.

Design, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing