International sales for exported soft drinks in 2018 totaled US$21.7 billion. Overall the value of soft drinks exports rose by an average 12.5% for all exporting countries since 2014 when soft drinks shipments were valued at $19.3 billion. Growth in the global value of exported soft drinks gained 7.2% from 2017 to 2018.
Within the overall soft drinks category, global export revenues from carbonated soft drinks were worth $11.3 billion for 2018. That dollar amount represents a 5.2% improvement since 2014 and a 7.9% increase from 2017 to 2018.
From a continental perspective, European countries generated the highest international sales for all types of soft drinks during 2018 with shipments valued at $14.7 billion or 67.9% of the global total. In second place were exporters in Asia at 18.2% while 8.9% of worldwide soft drinks exports originated from North America. Smaller percentages came from Latin America (1.9%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean, Africa (1.6%) and Oceania (0.8%) mainly New Zealand and Australia.
The four-digit Harmonized Tariff System code prefix is 2202 for soft drinks. That code prefix encompasses waters (including mineral and aerated waters) containing added sugar or other sweeteners as well as non-alcoholic beer and other non-alcoholic beverages. Carbonated soft drinks are specified under subcodes 220290 and 220299.
Top Soft Drinks Exporters by Country
Countries
Below are the 15 countries that exported the highest dollar value worth of soft drinks during 2018.
- Austria: US$3.1 billion (14.4% of soft drinks exports)
- Germany: $2 billion (9.2%)
- Netherlands: $1.9 billion (9%)
- Switzerland: $1.8 billion (8.4%)
- Thailand: $1.4 billion (6.7%)
- United States: $1.2 billion (5.7%)
- Belgium: $919.2 million (4.2%)
- France: $838.9 million (3.9%)
- United Kingdom: $596.8 million (2.7%)
- Italy: $566.9 million (2.6%)
- Poland: $531.5 million (2.4%)
- South Korea: $469.5 million (2.2%)
- Mexico: $448.6 million (2.1%)
- Denmark: $428.7 million (2%)
- Spain: $368.5 million (1.7%)
By value, the listed 15 countries shipped over three-quarters (76.7%) of total exported soft drinks in 2018.
Among the top exporters, the fastest-growing soft drinks exporters since 2014 were: Thailand (up 59.3%), Mexico (up 41.4%), Poland (up 38.7%) and Italy (up 35.8%).
Five countries posted declines in their exported soft drinks sales namely: United Kingdom (down -7.2%), Belgium (down -5.9%), Switzerland (down -4.9%), France (down -4.6%) and United States (down -3.2%).
Advantages
The following countries posted the highest positive net exports for soft drinks during 2018. Investopedia defines net exports as the value of a country’s total exports minus the value of its total imports. Thus, the statistics below present the surplus between the value of each country’s exported soft drinks and its import purchases for that same commodity.
- Austria: US$2.3 billion (net export surplus up 41.7% since 2014)
- Switzerland: $1.5 billion (down -7.2%)
- Thailand: $1.4 billion (up 58.3%)
- Netherlands: $1.1 billion (up 37.3%)
- Germany: $752.1 million (down -20.1%)
- South Korea: $373.2 million (up 28.6%)
- Poland: $335.4 million (up 21%)
- Mexico: $298.2 million (up 121.3%)
- Denmark: $285.8 million (up 16.8%)
- Italy: $274.5 million (up 69.3%)
- Malaysia: $216 million (down -13%)
- Taiwan: $133.5 million (up 11.5%)
- Turkey: $123.6 million (up 45.5%)
- South Africa: $77.7 million (up 22.7%)
- Hungary: $74.7 million (up 11.1%)
Austria had the highest surplus in the international trade of soft drinks. In turn, this positive cashflow confirms Austria’s competitive advantage for this specific product category.
Opportunities
The following countries posted the highest negative net exports for soft drinks during 2018. Investopedia defines net exports as the value of a country’s total exports minus the value of its total imports. Thus, the statistics below present the deficit between the value of each country’s imported soft drinks purchases and its exports for that same commodity.
- United States: -US$2.2 billion (net export deficit up 76.5% since 2014)
- Canada: -$613.4 million (down -16.8%)
- United Kingdom: -$594.3 million (up 2.9%)
- Cambodia: -$503.3 million (up 1253.2%)
- Vietnam: -$483.4 million (reversing a $7.9 million surplus)
- China: -$355.5 million (up 748.4%)
- Myanmar (Burma): -$215.5 million (up 656.2%)
- Australia: -$201.4 million (down -8.4%)
- Singapore: -$199.8 million (up 94.8%)
- Norway: -$187.7 million (up 17.2%)
- Ireland: -$181.8 million (up 37.1%)
- Colombia: -$180.1 million (up 842.2%)
- Sweden: -$177 million (up 17.7%)
- Slovakia: -$140.5 million (up 71.8%)
- Hong Kong: -$130.9 million (down -23%)
The United States of America incurred the highest deficit in the international trade of soft drinks. In turn, this negative cashflow highlights America’s strong competitive disadvantage for this specific product category but also signals opportunities for soft drinks suppliers that help satisfy the powerful demand among Canadian consumers.
Companies
Soft Drinks Exporting Companies
Below are global producers that represent established players that dominate the international soft drinks trade. The country that is home to each conglomerate’s headquarters is shown within parenthesis.
- Asahi Soft Drinks (Japan)
- Britvic plc (United Kingdom)
- Cott (Canada)
- Dr Pepper Snapple Group (United States)
- Drinko (Lebanon)
- Faygo Beverages, Inc (United States)
- Fraser and Neave, Limited (Singapore)
- Hamoud Boualem (Algeria)
- Jones Soda (United States)
- PepsiCo Inc (United States)
- Perrier (France)
- Sumal + Compal SA (Portugal)
- The Coca-Cola Company (United States)
- Vitasoy (Hong Kong)
Searchable List of Soft Drinks Exporting Countries in 2018
You can change the presentation order by clicking the triangle icon at the top of the columns.
| Rank | Exporter | Exported Soft Drinks (US$) | %Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Austria | $3.1 billion | 14.4% |
| 2. | Germany | $2 billion | 9.2% |
| 3. | Netherlands | $1.9 billion | 8.8% |
| 4. | Switzerland | $1.8 billion | 8.4% |
| 5. | Thailand | $1.4 billion | 6.7% |
| 6. | United States | $1.2 billion | 5.7% |
| 7. | Belgium | $919.2 million | 4.2% |
| 8. | France | $838.9 million | 3.9% |
| 9. | United Kingdom | $596.8 million | 2.7% |
| 10. | Italy | $566.9 million | 2.6% |
| 11. | Poland | $531.5 million | 2.4% |
| 12. | South Korea | $469.5 million | 2.2% |
| 13. | Mexico | $448.6 million | 2.1% |
| 14. | Denmark | $428.7 million | 2.0% |
| 15. | Spain | $368.5 million | 1.7% |
| 16. | Malaysia | $296.1 million | 1.4% |
| 17. | Japan | $255 million | 1.2% |
| 18. | Canada | $242.1 million | 1.1% |
| 19. | Hungary | $228.5 million | 1.1% |
| 20. | Czech Republic | $222.3 million | 1.0% |
| 21. | China | $211.7 million | 1.0% |
| 22. | Turkey | $192.5 million | 0.9% |
| 23. | Taiwan | $185.9 million | 0.9% |
| 24. | Hong Kong | $159.6 million | 0.7% |
| 25. | South Africa | $152.1 million | 0.7% |
| 26. | Russia | $150 million | 0.7% |
| 27. | Sweden | $142.6 million | 0.7% |
| 28. | El Salvador | $135 million | 0.6% |
| 29. | Serbia | $116.9 million | 0.5% |
| 30. | New Zealand | $111.4 million | 0.5% |
| 31. | Portugal | $105.6 million | 0.5% |
| 32. | Saudi Arabia | $102.4 million | 0.5% |
| 33. | Philippines | $95.4 million | 0.4% |
| 34. | Indonesia | $95.1 million | 0.4% |
| 35. | Ireland | $95 million | 0.4% |
| 36. | Vietnam | $92.2 million | 0.4% |
| 37. | Romania | $89.9 million | 0.4% |
| 38. | Guatemala | $74.1 million | 0.3% |
| 39. | Zambia | $64.2 million | 0.3% |
| 40. | Croatia | $62.2 million | 0.3% |
| 41. | Singapore | $59 million | 0.3% |
| 42. | Slovenia | $52.7 million | 0.2% |
| 43. | Australia | $48 million | 0.2% |
| 44. | Ukraine | $46.6 million | 0.2% |
| 45. | Belarus | $44.7 million | 0.2% |
| 46. | United Arab Emirates | $44.5 million | 0.2% |
| 47. | Nepal | $43.8 million | 0.2% |
| 48. | Kazakhstan | $42 million | 0.2% |
| 49. | Greece | $41.1 million | 0.2% |
| 50. | Costa Rica | $40.9 million | 0.2% |
| 51. | Bulgaria | $34.6 million | 0.2% |
| 52. | Slovakia | $33.4 million | 0.2% |
| 53. | Luxembourg | $33.2 million | 0.2% |
| 54. | Argentina | $31.5 million | 0.1% |
| 55. | Bosnia/Herzegovina | $30.3 million | 0.1% |
| 56. | Georgia | $27.5 million | 0.1% |
| 57. | Lithuania | $27.2 million | 0.1% |
| 58. | Sri Lanka | $27.1 million | 0.1% |
| 59. | Latvia | $23.4 million | 0.1% |
| 60. | Egypt | $22.3 million | 0.1% |
| 61. | Lebanon | $20.4 million | 0.1% |
| 62. | Trinidad/Tobago | $19.7 million | 0.1% |
| 63. | India | $19.3 million | 0.1% |
| 64. | Finland | $18 million | 0.1% |
| 65. | Peru | $17.9 million | 0.1% |
| 66. | Bangladesh | $17.4 million | 0.1% |
| 67. | Colombia | $16.6 million | 0.1% |
| 68. | Nigeria | $15.2 million | 0.1% |
| 69. | Norway | $14.9 million | 0.1% |
| 70. | Dominican Republic | $14.3 million | 0.1% |
| 71. | Uganda | $13.6 million | 0.1% |
| 72. | Morocco | $13.5 million | 0.1% |
| 73. | Jamaica | $13.4 million | 0.1% |
| 74. | Brazil | $13.3 million | 0.1% |
| 75. | Ghana | $12.5 million | 0.1% |
| 76. | Honduras | $12.1 million | 0.1% |
| 77. | North Macedonia | $11.2 million | 0.1% |
| 78. | Jordan | $10.7 million | 0.05% |
| 79. | Estonia | $9.8 million | 0.04% |
| 80. | Cyprus | $8.9 million | 0.04% |
| 81. | Laos | $8.9 million | 0.04% |
| 82. | Tanzania | $8.5 million | 0.04% |
| 83. | Algeria | $6.5 million | 0.03% |
| 84. | Ivory Coast | $6.1 million | 0.03% |
| 85. | Macao | $6.1 million | 0.03% |
| 86. | Nicaragua | $5.7 million | 0.03% |
| 87. | Kenya | $4.7 million | 0.02% |
| 88. | Israel | $4.6 million | 0.02% |
| 89. | Fiji | $4.3 million | 0.02% |
| 90. | Moldova | $4.1 million | 0.02% |
| 91. | Tunisia | $3.8 million | 0.02% |
| 92. | Bhutan | $3.8 million | 0.02% |
| 93. | Chile | $3.7 million | 0.02% |
| 94. | Suriname | $3.6 million | 0.02% |
| 95. | Malta | $3.1 million | 0.01% |
| 96. | Uzbekistan | $2.9 million | 0.01% |
| 97. | Kyrgyzstan | $2.9 million | 0.01% |
| 98. | Pakistan | $2.7 million | 0.01% |
| 99. | Mozambique | $2.7 million | 0.01% |
| 100. | Armenia | $2.6 million | 0.01% |
| 101. | Zimbabwe | $2.5 million | 0.01% |
| 102. | Mauritius | $2.2 million | 0.01% |
| 103. | Ecuador | $1.9 million | 0.01% |
| 104. | Togo | $1.7 million | 0.01% |
| 105. | Kuwait | $1.4 million | 0.01% |
| 106. | Eswatini | $1.4 million | 0.01% |
| 107. | Cameroon | $1.2 million | 0.01% |
| 108. | Barbados | $1.1 million | 0.005% |
| 109. | Iran | $1.1 million | 0.005% |
| 110. | St Vincent/Grenadines | $1 million | 0.005% |
| 111. | Namibia | $948,000 | 0.004% |
| 112. | Albania | $905,000 | 0.004% |
| 113. | Burkina Faso | $898,000 | 0.004% |
| 114. | Uruguay | $860,000 | 0.004% |
| 115. | Palestine | $633,000 | 0.003% |
| 116. | Panama | $632,000 | 0.003% |
| 117. | Guyana | $624,000 | 0.003% |
| 118. | Tajikistan | $580,000 | 0.003% |
| 119. | Iceland | $479,000 | 0.002% |
| 120. | Saint Lucia | $399,000 | 0.002% |
| 121. | Curaçao | $390,000 | 0.002% |
| 122. | Haiti | $380,000 | 0.002% |
| 123. | Syrian Arab Republic | $305,000 | 0.001% |
| 124. | Azerbaijan | $281,000 | 0.001% |
| 125. | Venezuela | $251,000 | 0.001% |
| 126. | Senegal | $216,000 | 0.001% |
| 127. | Angola | $197,000 | 0.001% |
| 128. | Niger | $173,000 | 0.001% |
| 129. | Myanmar | $156,000 | 0.001% |
| 130. | Afghanistan | $118,000 | 0.001% |
| 131. | Madagascar | $107,000 | 0.0005% |
| 132. | British Virgin Islands | $105,000 | 0.0005% |
| 133. | Iraq | $76,000 | 0.0004% |
| 134. | Bahrain | $71,000 | 0.0003% |
| 135. | US Minor Outlying Is | $64,000 | 0.0003% |
| 136. | Liberia | $54,000 | 0.0002% |
| 137. | North Korea | $53,000 | 0.0002% |
| 138. | Botswana | $51,000 | 0.0002% |
| 139. | Gabon | $40,000 | 0.0002% |
| 140. | Mali | $36,000 | 0.0002% |
| 141. | Saint Kitts/Nevis | $35,000 | 0.0002% |
| 142. | Democr. Rep. Congo | $30,000 | 0.0001% |
| 143. | Qatar | $28,000 | 0.0001% |
| 144. | Ethiopia | $27,000 | 0.0001% |
| 145. | Malawi | $27,000 | 0.0001% |
| 146. | Gibraltar | $26,000 | 0.0001% |
| 147. | Montenegro | $24,000 | 0.0001% |
| 148. | Dominica | $24,000 | 0.0001% |
| 149. | Turkmenistan | $20,000 | 0.0001% |
| 150. | Benin | $17,000 | 0.0001% |
| 151. | Sudan | $15,000 | 0.0001% |
| 152. | Sint Maarten (Dutch) | $14,000 | 0.0001% |
| 153. | French Polynesia | $13,000 | 0.0001% |
| 154. | Bermuda | $10,000 | 0.00005% |
| 155. | Sierra Leone | $10,000 | 0.00005% |
| 156. | Paraguay | $10,000 | 0.00005% |
| 157. | Libya | $8,000 | 0.00004% |
| 158. | Oman | $6,000 | 0.00003% |
| 159. | Guinea | $6,000 | 0.00003% |
| 160. | Comoros | $6,000 | 0.00003% |
| 161. | Samoa | $6,000 | 0.00003% |
| 162. | Tonga | $5,000 | 0.00002% |
| 163. | Lesotho | $5,000 | 0.00002% |
| 164. | New Caledonia | $4,000 | 0.00002% |
| 165. | Mongolia | $3,000 | 0.00001% |
| 166. | Mauritania | $3,000 | 0.00001% |
| 167. | Bahamas | $3,000 | 0.00001% |
| 168. | Timor-Leste | $3,000 | 0.00001% |
| 169. | Rwanda | $2,000 | 0.00001% |
| 170. | Faroe Islands | $2,000 | 0.00001% |
| 171. | Andorra | $1,000 | 0.000005% |
| 172. | Antigua/Barbuda | $1,000 | 0.000005% |
| 173. | Cambodia | $1,000 | 0.000005% |
| 174. | Brunei Darussalam | $1,000 | 0.000005% |
| 175. | Aruba | $1,000 | 0.000005% |
| 176. | Papua New Guinea | $1,000 | 0.000005% |
| 177. | Gambia | $1,000 | 0.000005% |
| 178. | Grenada | $1,000 | 0.000005% |
See also Coffee Exports by Country, Tea Imports by Country and Sugar Exports by Country
Research Sources:
The World Factbook, Field Listing: Exports – Commodities, Central Intelligence Agency. Accessed on June 12, 2018
Trade Map, International Trade Centre. Accessed on July 12, 2019
Investopedia, Net Exports Definition. Accessed on June 12, 2018
Wikipedia, List of soft drink producers. Accessed on June 12, 2018