Thanks to rising sales of its sugar-free drinks, Coca-Cola saw its quarterly and annual sales grow stronger than expected. Despite price increases, the manufacturer also managed to raise its sales volumes.
Market share gains
Coca-Cola’s revenue increased by 3 % to 47.1 billion dollars (45 billion euros) last year. Due to higher costs, net profit did fall by 1 % to 10.6 billion dollars (10 billion euros). The sales growth is partly due to price increases, but volumes also rose slightly — especially in China and the United States. The manufacturer had a particularly strong fourth quarter, with revenue increasing by 4.2 % to 11.4 billion dollars (11 billion euros).
These figures contrast with those of rival PepsiCo, which reported last week that consumers are cutting back on snacks and soft drinks. Despite that, Coca-Cola managed to gain market share in the United States, driven by increased demand for sugar-free soft drinks. Particularly successful was Coca-Cola Zero, which saw a 9 % volume growth. In emerging markets, the company is launching local flavour variants and packaging at different price points. For 2025, Coca-Cola expects organic revenue growth between 5 and 6 % and an increase in earnings per share of 2 to 3 %.
