Carbonated soft drinks are non-alcoholic drinks made primarily from water, with carbon dioxide added to create their characteristic fizz.
They’re typically flavoured and sweetened, and widely enjoyed for refreshment and taste. The category spans sugar-sweetened, low-sugar and no-sugar sweetened options, giving consumers choice based on taste preferences and dietary needs.
Tap any ingredient to learn what it is and what it does in soft drinks.
From classic colas to fruity favourites and zero-sugar twists, soft drinks have been part of Australian fridges for generations. Today’s range is broader than ever, letting people choose the flavour and the sugar level that suits them.
The soft drink aisle looks very different than it did 30 years ago. Low- and no-sugar choices have steadily replaced sugar-sweetened bottles on the shelf, reflecting how Aussies are drinking today. This shift has been driven by reformulation, broader product ranges and consumers changing preferences.
Red indicates sugar-sweetened water-based drinks and blue indicates low- and no-sugar water-based drinks.
Source: Starck CS, Cassettari T, Beckett E, Fayet-Moore F. Evolving Sweet Preferences: Temporal Trends in Australian Non-Alcoholic Beverage Sales from 1997 to 2024. Nutrients 2026.
How are soft drinks regulated?
Carbonated soft drinks are regulated as conventional foods under the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code, administered by Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ). The Code sets clear rules around permitted ingredients, the use of sweeteners and caffeine, and how products must be labelled.
Labels must accurately disclose ingredients, nutrition information and any advisory statements, with all claims scientifically verified and free from misleading information.
Carbonation occurs naturally in some mineral waters, but is usually added to soft drinks to create a consistent fizz.
The earliest carbonated drinks were created in the 18th century, when inventors tried to mimic naturally fizzy mineral water, once believed to have health benefits.
Aussies are choosing more low- and no-sugar options than ever before.
Aussies are choosing more low- and no-sugar options than ever before.