NEW YORK — Bottled water sales and volume growth was the highest among nonalcohol beverages as people across the U.S. stocked up amid the coronavirus crisis, according to investment bank Cowen Inc.
In the four weeks ending March 21, dollar sales of all nonalcohol beverage categories, except for energy drinks, were greater than 12-week trends, according to an industry update report from Cowen and global measurement and data analytics company The Nielsen Co. This is a clear demonstration of the COVID-19 pantry-loading effect across all markets, including convenience stores, the report said.
Bottled water, sports drinks and sparkling/still flavored water showed the highest levels of growth during that four-week period.
Click through for a closer look at the fastest-growing beverage categories in all channels during the spread of COVID-19. Nielsen and Cowen, both based in New York, provided the data.