Behind him collapse 2024, Many sectors of the economy expected a recovery in 2025. For beverages, there has been a rebound in sales So far this year, however The overall volume is far from previous years. A group of Low disposable income In the population with Increased prices of regulated goods (services, education, health, transportation, etc.) and New habits associated with food and purchasing decisions Are the factors that explain this equation, which It is being replicated in other areas of mass consumption in the country.
In the first ten months of the year, Cumulative sales of non-alcoholic beverages (including soft drinks, water, juices, sports, etc.) in the country are witnessing a growth of 5.4% compared to 2024.According to data Cadipsa (Argentine Chamber of Non-Alcoholic Beverages Industry). but, When compared to 2023, the total volume this year is 10.5% lower. It can hardly be compared to 2021, a year conditioned by an extraordinary dynamic with temporary quarantines due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
There are other data that describe a more negative scenario. According to the advisor CynthiaWhich covers 8,000 points of sale in the country, including supermarkets, wholesalers, self-service stores, Chinese supermarkets, etc. Sales of non-alcoholic beverages continue to decline: It contracted by 5.1% year-on-year in October, while it is 2.5% lower than in 2025. If the backlog for the first ten months of the year is analysed.
For her part, Consulting firm Nielsen figures show growth of 6.3%. So far this year for the sector, After a 15.8% collapse in 2024. “The market fell about 10 points.” Complete from one of the country’s major supermarket chains, when describing market dynamics.
In addition to different samples and measurement tools, the sector describes variations in numbers from different sources related to market dynamics. “The industry faces two problems: a very high tax burden, and unfair competition from informal actors.They stated in Cadipsa, explaining that the official numbers announced by the Chamber take into account large companies in the sector, but they do not include some companies that produce second or third brands.
Also, in entities like UIA They insist on the growth of smuggling Which, among other things, affects drinks. As stated nation, The companies operating in this sector confirm that about 40% of companies do this Sell in AMBA has in its product portfolio some brands whose products entered the country illegally.
Market development, beyond differences in numbers, Similar dynamics appear in 2025. In the first semester, Sales reflect a greater recovery, which is also explained by the year-on-year comparison with Worst recession months of 2024. Then, starting in June, sales stagnated, remaining at the same level as last year.
According to the economist federico mall, there “Change incentives in the market” After the change in the economic model from 2023, which led to a contraction in sales in the mass consumption sector which, in its view, has little chance of expansion in the short term. “During 2023, you had no incentive to save, were unable to acquire durable goods and a large portion of income was allocated to experiences and consumption. particle. All this indulgence I’ve slept a lot. With the crisis of 2024 and Changing the incentive systemthose who were the winners end up being the most affected and There remains an unfair basis for comparison“Explained the director of the consulting company Ecolatina.
“Today, how income is used has changed a lot. Weight of inflexible services e.g educationincreases weight Durable goods, which have become relatively cheaperThe specialist said that households had deteriorating capital stocks and there was credit to buy those goods.Everything is at the expense of public experiences and consumption, and they are the losers in this period. Nothing leads us to believe that these circumstances will change: Credit to households will continue to grow, and the relative prices of goods will continue to fallWe hope that the interest rate will remain positive We do not see a significant rise in the exchange rate. the Low inflation and Increase in imports “For many mass consumption companies, it is a problem.”
In this scenario, companies are wary The segments that drive sales the most today are “convenience”. And the level of lower priced brands. “In pure water, where it is difficult to differentiate between them, any It grows a lot and is the lowest priced part, level 3and drum. clearly, The consumer will look for price“, He said carolina Gallego, Marketing Director at Aguas de Origen, the company in which CCU and Danone are joint ventures and which markets brands such as Villavicencio, Villa del Sur and Levité.
In this context, he stated that interest in health is increasing among consumers. “It’s not something that’s limited to the country, it’s a global trend, as people are becoming more concerned about what’s in products. In water, the low-sodium product segment is growing. Consumption of sugary drinks remains strong in northern Argentina, however In the rest of the country, no products in the sales mix are growing“, completed the executive authority.