Falling soda sales: Not a trend, but a fundamental shift

"Coca-Cola and Pepsico must be judged not on whether they can resurrect their flagship brands, but on how well they can manage those brands' decline." Over the past nine years, soft drink sales have been declining. But this is much more than a trend. It is a fundamental shift in consumer taste and is a growing problem for soda makers. By the end of 2013, soda sales fell by 3%. This is the lowest it has been since 1995. Because of this, many companies such as Coca-Cola and Pepsico have begun to invest in alternatives like new kinds energy drinks, sports drinks, and flavored water.

http://features.blogs.fortune.cnn.com/2014/04/01/soda-sales-coke-pepsi/