Recently, the topic of "3 yuan drinks disappearing collectively" has been hotly discussed on social media.
Many netizens reported that when they walked into a convenience store and picked up a bottle of drink, the price was often 5 to 6 yuan, and some coffee drinks cost 8 to 9 yuan. A random visit found that in the beverage counters of many offline convenience stores in Beijing, 3 yuan drinks accounted for less than 5%, and some stores even did not have 3 yuan drinks in the beverage cabinets.
The rise in beverage prices is related to the rising cost of raw materials and packaging bottles. However, unlike offline physical store retail, there are still a large number of 3 yuan drinks on e-commerce platforms, and the price of beverages is generally lower than that of offline retail channels.
The data shows that there is still a broad consumer market for 3 yuan drinks. On January 4, Jingdong Supermarket launched a 3 yuan beverage zone, which includes cola, soda, soybean milk, herbal tea, green tea and many other drinks to meet the diverse taste needs of consumers.
Higher sugar prices and higher costs have led to higher beverage prices
According to public media reports, the price of two specifications of iced tea has been raised in many large offline supermarkets in Beijing, while the price of convenience stores is slightly higher, and the price of 500ml packaged iced tea is 4 yuan.
According to a random survey, in a Lawson convenience store in Beijing, there are a total of 41 drinks on the beverage counter, of which only 2 drinks are priced at 3 yuan, namely Pepsi and Coca-Cola in canned pieces, and the sales of 3 yuan drinks account for less than 5%. In another store, there are a total of 25 drinks in the beverage cabinet, and the price is more than 3 yuan.
Recently, the price of a variety of beverages has risen, and the beverage industry has ushered in the fifth wave of price increases in history. This incident sparked heated discussions on the Internet: Why are drinks getting more and more expensive?
On the one hand, according to the announcements of beverage brands, the reason for the price increase is the increase in costs. According to data released by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the sugar price index rose 9.8% in September this year from August, reaching the highest level since November 2010.
On the other hand, in recent years, the international crude oil price has risen, and the PET plastic bottles used to fill beverages are made of crude oil, which also makes the overall production cost of beverages rise.
In this regard, some industry insiders also said that as consumers pay more and more attention to the health of beverages, sugar-free drinks and low-sugar drinks are sought after. This type of beverage is positioned at a higher end and has a higher price, which has led to an increase in the overall price of the beverage.
Urban white-collar workers and students prefer 3 yuan drinks, and the post-90s generation is the main consumer force, and e-commerce sales increased by 120% month-on-month
However, not all channels have been difficult to find a "trace" of 3 yuan drinks. Compared with offline supermarkets, consumers can still buy a wide range of 3 yuan drinks on e-commerce platforms.
According to the latest data from Jingdong Supermarket in December 2023, from the perspective of consumption age, the post-90s population in the 26-35 age range is still the main buyer group of 3 yuan drinks;
What is quite surprising is that families in first-tier cities, urban white-collar workers and students are the main groups to buy 3 yuan drinks.
According to data from Jingdong Supermarket, at present, the number of drinks with a price of 3 yuan and below on the platform accounts for 30%, and sales account for 40%. In the latest week, the total sales of beverages priced at 3 yuan and below increased by 120% month-on-month.
On January 4, Jingdong Supermarket launched a 3 yuan beverage area. Search for "all-you-can-stop drinking" on Jingdong APP, and you can go directly to the beverage venue, where the price of each bottle of drink is 3 yuan, or even lower.
According to the page, the products in the special area include carbonated drinks such as cola and soda, as well as chrysanthemum tea, green tea, jasmine tea and herbal tea, as well as soy milk, lactic acid bacteria drinks, bottled coffee, etc., to meet the diverse taste needs of consumers.
According to the analysis of industry insiders, the reason why Jingdong Supermarket can achieve low prices on the premise of ensuring quality is related to its excellent supply chain capabilities. In order to further open up the market, many high-priced beverages often choose to leave more profits to convenience stores, offline supermarkets and other channel providers, while Jingdong Supermarket reduces the operating costs of enterprises and improves operational efficiency and procurement efficiency through its intelligent and digital advantages, so as to further benefit users.
Jingdong Supermarket is the main channel of JD.com, located in the upper left corner of the homepage of JD.com, the channel list mainly sells fresh food, daily consumer goods, etc. Third-party data and a number of user surveys show that among online and offline supermarkets, JD Supermarket has a leading market share, the most competitive price, the most guaranteed quality of the goods sold, and various services are also in the leading position in the industry, making it the preferred channel for hundreds of millions of consumers to shop.