This article contains sponsored content.
Colder weather brings a golden opportunity to boost sales, and the secret lies in pairing your hot food offering with the nation’s favourite on-the-go soft drinks.
While chilled drinks are often associated with summer, new research from Carlsberg Britvic shows that nearly seven in ten consumers enjoy soft drinks at least once a week during winter[1]. And with over a third of shoppers wanting more hot meal options[2], there’s clear demand for satisfying, ready-to-go combos that deliver on both flavour and convenience.
Lunchtime is the sweet spot, with 31% of consumers most likely to buy hot food and a drink together[3]. Carlsberg Britvic’s instant consumption portfolio, featuring Pepsi MAX®, Tango, 7UP® and Lipton Iced Tea, is designed to deliver instant refreshment and drive sales no matter the weather. Here’s why these Carlsberg Britvic brands are perfectly positioned to help:
Stocking these brands in 330ml cans and 500ml bottles, and promoting them alongside hot food, helps create compelling meal deals that drive repeat visits and increase basket spend even when the temperature drops. These combinations not only satisfy shopper cravings but also position your store as a go-to destination for complete meal solutions.
Retailers are already seeing results…
Retailers have recently brought the concept to life in-store, amplifying the meal deal opportunity and showcasing how pairing hot food with soft drinks can increase consumer spending. Through bold point of sale and simple execution, these stores demonstrated just how effective the combo offering can be in boosting shopper engagement and sales success. Here’s what they had to say:
Suki Athwal from Shop Around the Clock said “Soft drinks are still super important to us in the colder months. Customers come in for hot food and grab a drink like Pepsi MAX® or Lipton Iced Tea, which increases basket spend. Activations like these help disrupt the shopper mission and they might now grab something else”.
Ian Lewis from Spar Minster Lovell said “During the winter months, soft drinks is a really important category. The Carlsberg Britvic activation has benefited our store tremendously through helping to activate the hot food and drink deal and make us stand out. Offering something different definitely helps bring customers in.”
Fiona Malone from Tenby Stores said “On-the-go soft drinks are really important for us and customers love them year-round. If they’re having hot food, they want something cold and sparkling. Products like Pepsi MAX® 500ml and 7UP® Zero 500ml perform well, and Pepsi MAX® 330ml cans deliver strong margins. Activations showcasing the brands we stock work really well because they put more money in the till.”
Ready to get involved?
Now it’s your turn to bring the buzz in-store. Head over to Carlsberg Britvic’s At Your Convenience platform to dive into the full research, grab expert tips, and claim your FREE meal deal and soft drink Point of Sale kit* for everything you need to start driving sales today.
New to the platform? Sign up now and score a FREE 12-pack of Pepsi MAX®, Tango, 7UP® or Lipton 500ml price-marked bottles** to kickstart your activation.
[1] Carlsberg Britvic x Censuswide – Winter Soft Drink Consumption Research 2025. Survey of 1,000 UK adults (16+) conducted 17.09.25 – 19.09.25. Available at: https://charts.censuswide.com/J16331CWMP/J16331CWMP_VIbox.html – Q2
[2] Carlsberg Britvic x Censuswide – Winter Soft Drink Consumption Research 2025. Survey of 1,000 UK adults (16+) conducted 17.09.25 – 19.09.25. Available at: https://charts.censuswide.com/J16331CWMP/J16331CWMP_VIbox.html – Q8
[3] Carlsberg Britvic x Censuswide – Winter Soft Drink Consumption Research 2025. Survey of 1,000 UK adults (16+) conducted 17.09.25 – 19.09.25. Available at: https://charts.censuswide.com/J16331CWMP/J16331CWMP_VIbox.html – Q9
*T&Cs: Max 1 kit per outlet. 400 kits available on a first come first serve basis. No purchase necessary. Registration & email required. Visit atyourconvenience.com for Terms and Details. Promoter: Britvic Soft Drinks
**Ts&Cs: Subject to availability & while stocks last. x1 free case of registration stock per outlet. Maximum of 2 POS kits per outlet every 30 days & Kits must be of a different description (i.e. no duplicates). NPN. Registration & a valid email address are required. Visit atyourconvenience.com/terms-and-conditions for full Terms and Details. Promoter: Britvic Soft Drinks. One account per outlet. All orders are sent to the business address. For Independent venues only. Corporate customers please contact your head office / account manager for access to our services.
