Interest in Refreshers on the Rise Even as Daily Consumption Falls

U.S. consumers are toning down the consumption of refreshers even as interest among non users in the category grows, according to Datassential’s BUZZ: Refreshers & Functional Beverages Topical report.

Nearly three-quarters of consumers have tried a refresher — non-coffee or tea beverages that usually contain caffeine or other energy-boosting ingredients  — at some point, but daily consumption fell by nearly half in 2026 to 11%.

Most recent consumption clustered in the past week, with nearly half of consumers saying they had one during that window. Gen Z and Millennial consumers are far more likely than older generations to have tried the drinks.

Interest, meanwhile, is climbing among non users. Forty-nine percent of consumers who have never had one, say they’re interested in trying refreshers, up 10 points from 2025 (39%) and 4 points from 2024 (45%).

Purchase intent among current consumers of these beverages tells a similar story: 36% plan to buy more refreshers in the year ahead, up from 30% in 2025, while 47% expect to buy about the same amount. Seventeen percent plan to buy fewer, unchanged from last year.

Among holdouts, the most common reasons are a preference for traditional caffeinated drinks (41%) and not seeing the benefit (39%). Cost is a growing barrier, with 35% calling refreshers too expensive, up from 27% in 2025. Caffeine and sugar content, by contrast, worry fewer consumers than a year ago (19% vs. 31% and 19% vs. 28%, respectively).

Availability is not holding trial back. A quarter of consumers bought their last refresher at a traditional coffee shop, and another quarter bought one at a grocery store coffee kiosk. Retail segments such as grocery and convenience stores still outsell restaurant segments, though refreshers are turning up across a widening range of outlets.

Datassential’s earlier BUZZ: Water Topical report found that caffeinated and CBD waters generate more consumer curiosity than any other water format, though conversion has yet to catch up. What pulls consumers in is a mix of experimentation and perceived health benefits, with Gen Z and Millennial consumers the most likely to drink either variety, the report noted.