What Pepsi's prebiotic launch says about the future of what we drink
No artificial sweeteners. 5 grams of cane sugar. 30 calories. This is the new fizz in town, and it's called Pepsi 'Prebiotic Cola'. 'It delivers the classic crisp, refreshing taste of Pepsi with the added functional ingredient of 3 grams of prebiotic fibre,' reads the press release. The launch of this 'innovation' product line is set to hit shelves online this fall and at retail in early 2026.While it's a new direction for the cola giant, it also highlights the growing trend of functional beverages. But is it actually "functional" like it claims to be and most importantly, what is fuelling this trend?
A variety of drinks, like low-sugar soda, kombuchas are making to shopping aisles (Photo: Pexels)
First things first. Let's understand the basics: what are functional beverages really?Functional beverages - drinks with a purposeFunctional beverages are drinks that do more than just hydrate your body. These non-alcoholic beverages aim to enhance specific functions of the body. They are typically fortified with ingredients that support immunity, digestion, cognition, energy, or relaxation. These drinks may have herbs, vitamins, amino acids, minerals, fibre, prebiotics, probiotics and more.Vitamins-infused water, kombucha, probiotic and probiotic dairy-based drinks form part of the functional beverage product line.According to Sarika Varshnei, chief growth officer, Borecha, functional beverages are supposed to add value, support wellness and not treat someone for illness per se. 'I don't believe in the term 'health drink.' I prefer 'functional beverage.' When you say something is functional, it means it does something in your body. Like adding probiotics or adaptogens, as these are functional elements. It's not like taking medicine for a headache and expecting immediate relief. They are meant to support your system in subtle ways,' she tells India Today.Rise in functional fizzThe concept of functional foods and drinks has been around since the 1960s. Japan was one of the pioneers in officially establishing regulations around it after the 1980s.advertisementHowever, there has been a massive boom in the past few years, and experts have determined why everyone's sipping on it.According to a 2023 report by Mintel, 'About 2 in 5 Indians seek multifunctional benefits in food and drinks in a quest for wellbeing. The market is growing multifold with an uptick in demand for health-related products from consumers."
Prebiotic soda (Photo: Atmosphere Studio)
It is interesting to note that there is a plethora of options for consumers to pick their taste in functional drinks, yet biggies are chasing the gut-friendly buzz, still.PepsiCo highlights that its latest product line addresses a significant shift in its consumer behaviour. "Behavioural trends are telling us that consumers want optionality, and functional beverages are a big piece of that. It's bold, functional, and growing fast – and we're continuing to invest in its momentum,' a PepsiCo spokesperson shares exclusively with us.So, who are these consumers? Gen Z and millennials (no surprises).According to the brand, 'better-for-you-ingredients' resonate with 'flavour-seeking" Gen Z consumers. 'It's designed specifically for cola lovers, including those who've left the category – offering the iconic Pepsi taste with less sugar, no artificial sweeteners, fewer calories, and added functional ingredients. It helps to grow the category from two distinct angles – bringing new consumers in and bringing former consumers back.'
Gen Z is leading the functional beverage rise (Photo: AI Generative)
advertisementIf we talk numbers, International Market Analysis Research and Consulting Group (IMARC) reports, 'The functional beverage market has already reached USD 6.20 billion in 2024 and expects it to reach USD 16.25 billion by 2033.'Blame it on the pandemicThe pandemic is considered a major catalyst."In the last couple of years, especially after Covid-19, there's been a big movement towards wellness. People are now leaning towards beverages that are more natural, low in sugar, and furnished with other health benefits too,' says Rebekah Sood, founder of Atmosphere Studio. Varshnei is in agreement, too.Gut healthGut health is one of the biggest wellness trends today, with more research and attention being directed toward it.advertisementTherefore, drinks like kefir, fermented juices, and kombucha are gaining traction."Functional beverages may support gut microbial balance, mucosal immunity, and metabolic function through probiotics and prebiotics. However, clinical efficacy depends on dosage, and individual response. It also requires cautious, evidence-informed use," says Dr Hemant Jain, gastrointestinal tract cancer surgeon, Lilavati Hospital, Mumbai.Interestingly, Sood shares how inaccessible products for probiotics led to her building her brand. 'Ariella (co-founder and a nutritionist) had numerous people coming into her centre who had gut issues and were in need of probiotics. So this was a big driver for us in starting the business, just understanding that there was this need for a product like kombucha.'Other factorsQuick commerce has become the bridge between consumers and emerging wellness brands. Platforms today let customers explore, compare, and choose from a range of beverages, and they can make informed decisions without an intermediary.Next, there is the concept of disposable income and how people are willing to spend more on their wellness. Amidst the hustle culture, being able to sip wellness while juggling meetings and emails is a luxury on the go.Marketing vs realityadvertisementBe it supermarket aisles or the shelves of local kirana stores, you can easily find products that are sold as 'healthy' in the form of chips, mixtures, or drinks. Varshnei strongly believes that 'healthy drinks' are one of the most abused labels.How? It's all about the ingredients.Now, there is something known as the health halo - a perception that the food or beverage is healthy even when it isn't. That's where several brands tend to cash in, hoping we don't read labels!'I would say some functional drinks do offer health benefits if they have evidence-based ingredients, but many are overhyped, and it's like a health halo because they're full of added sugar, preservatives, and may affect our health,' shares Vidhi Chawla, dietician and founder of FISICO Diet and Aesthetic Clinic.Hence, just because it screams gut-friendly or low-calorie, it does not make it magical. And in order to steer clear of these health halos, it is essential to have knowledge of the ingredients.
Reading labels has become a life skill (Photo: AI Generative)
The good news is that consumer awareness about reading labels is increasing too."About a third of consumers, particularly those who are financially healthy (31 per cent) and those living in Western India (32 per cent) and metros (33 per cent) are clear about the fact that they will adopt functional foods if they are convinced about their effect," reports Mintel.Label reading 101So, the heavily worded ingredient lists on the packaging can be intimidating. And that's the trick: if you can't pronounce it, you probably won't question it. But honestly, you don't really need a degree to understand the ingredient list.For starters, let's understand the misconceptions and basics. Chawla enlists common mistakes that consumers make:The most common mistake is assuming that terms like 'low fat' or 'sugar-free' automatically mean a product is healthy. These products usually compensate with added sugar, salt, or artificial sweeteners, which are not good for health.Another mistake is ignoring the serving size. Many people read the calories or nutrition value per serving size, but do not calculate the whole package, leading to underestimating their intake.Third, trusting front-label claims like 'natural,' 'immunity boosting,' or 'zero trans fat.' These can be misleading. Always flip to the back and read the ingredients.So, how do we spot those red flags?Watch out for terms like maltodextrin, corn syrup, and fructose syrup. It's sugar under garbs.Too many unpronounceable names on the list? Can be an alert for preservatives and additives. Definitely not wellness in a can.High caffeine dosing, undisclosed amounts of the probiotic, and ambiguous phrases like "natural flavour" can be red flags, according to Dr Jain.Commonly found in products with palm oil or labelled simply as 'vegetable fats' should be checked.The market evolves as per consumer needs. Label reading being a need of the hour, one prebiotic soda can at a time, there is a new breed of platforms helping decode these.In the age of health halos and wellness products, making smart choices is important.- Ends
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Traditional norms often assign specific roles to male and females within the household as well as in society. While women are typically expected to handle household chores and caregiving responsibilities, men are seen as breadwinners and primary decision-makers. In such normative settings, power structure dictates that women oversee care during pregnancy and the post-partum phase, leaving the rest of the household members as spectators, particularly male members. Dialogues around pregnancy and childcare are often confined to female members only, except in situations that require urgent clinical attention. This selected silence around pregnancy within the household makes it difficult to create an inclusive environment and have an open conversation around pregnancy care. As a result, the focus of the family remains on the future child, often neglecting the maternal needs during pregnancy and postpartum. Pregnancy. (Pexels) The journey from pregnancy to postpartum brings physical, emotional, and social changes in the women that require significant care and support, making pregnancy care a shared household responsibility for both male and female members. This can be done by creating pregnancy responsive households, where each household member takes part not just in childcare but also maternal care right from the beginning of pregnancy to post-partum. Without responsive and supportive household environments, institutional care alone cannot ensure positive outcomes for mother and child, further stressing the need for comprehensive care. The first step towards comprehensive care is mapping the vulnerabilities of women during pregnancy. In India, according to NFHS-5, 18.7% of women aged 15--49 have a BMI below normal, while 24% are overweight, and 52.2% of pregnant women are anaemic. These are the predominant risk factors contributing to maternal morbidity and mortality. Deliveries through C-section have also increased to 21.5%, requiring additional care. Another study reveals that 22% of mothers suffer from postpartum depression, which is often overlooked and rarely addressed from the perspective of the new mother. Hence, women located at socio-economic marginal positions across caste, class, religion, specially-abled are more vulnerable to being at risk of receiving poor maternal care. These evidences reveal the need for family support in dietary care, encouraging rest, access to clinical care in pregnancy and the post-partum phase that prioritises women's physical and mental well-being. Building pregnancy-responsive households demands interventions that encourage the conversation around pregnancy within the household and at the community level, involving both men and women. Drawing from Moser's Gender Framework, this can be done by distinguishing between practical gender needs (PGNs) and strategic gender needs (SGNs), which are fundamental in creating a pregnancy-responsive household. PGNs address immediate and material conditions, while SGNs focus on systemic changes and long-term gender equity. In this case, practical gender needs would include the nutritional requirements, clinical care, hygiene and sanitation, and financial assistance. In contrast, strategic gender needs involve support from household members, protection from gender-based violence, access to information and education, and decision-making. These indicators are not mutually exclusive but are interrelated depending on the socio-cultural characteristics of the household. This article aims to define pregnancy care and post-partum care in a way that balances practical gender needs with strategic gender needs. When we express the need for comprehensive care in pregnancy and postpartum, we must understand the cultural context through a gendered lens. Commonly in many parts of India, pregnant women move back to their maternal home (maika) during pregnancy. This completely dissociates the husband/in-laws from participating in any pregnancy care activities, which continues even when the women return after delivery. Another concerning practice is that many families intentionally restrict the women's diet to prevent the foetus from gaining weight to avoid caesarean deliveries. Additionally, women who give birth to boys often gain higher status and security in the household as opposed to those who give birth to girls. They may face pressure to produce a male child, resulting in low birth spacing. These issues, dictated by the longstanding cultural beliefs, can only be addressed by fostering an environment that enhances favourable knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP). The KAP approach is not restricted to women alone but also to the other household members, both male and female. Several central and state government schemes aim at improving maternal health outcomes. The government's Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana provides financial support, conditional upon timely registration for antenatal checkups (ANC), completion of full ANC and institutional delivery. While existing cash incentive schemes play a critical role in addressing the PGNs such as ANC care, nutritional requirement, financial assistance and access to institutional delivery services, they fall short of addressing SGNs that defy deep-rooted social norms, which inhibit a woman's ability to benefit from schemes. Incorporating the KAP approach is necessary to shift the attitudes and practices within the household around pregnancy and post-partum care. Prioritising SGNs requires the use of social and behavioral change (SBC) techniques to educate all key stakeholders to take shared responsibilities during pregnancy and after childbirth. An innovative programme in Rajasthan used this approach to create positive behavioral changes within households and communities through interpersonal counselling and nutrition-focused events. Targeted messages for improved knowledge, attitudes, and practices of mothers and family members were developed and delivered through multiple platforms. Trained frontline workers engaged with mothers to improve knowledge and awareness about health outcomes during pregnancy, like diversified diet, ANC checkups, proper rest, and appropriate gestational weight gain. They also played a major role in debunking myths related to food consumption. This approach not only improved better utilisation of financial schemes but also enabled households to prioritize maternal nutrition and health. It encouraged family members to accompany women to ANC checkups, ensure access to nutritious food and proper rest. These efforts have resulted in 81% mothers having adequate knowledge of nutrition and care during pregnancy, 48% improvement in dietary diversity during pregnancy, 43% increase in husbands' awareness of their role and support during and post pregnancy, and 57% increase in the utilisation of cash incentives for the purchase of nutritious food. Rethinking pregnancy and post-partum care in India require positioning it in the long-lived socio-cultural fabrics. Creating pregnancy-responsive households would mean having a nuanced understanding of the physical, emotional and clinical needs of women in terms of pregnancy and post-partum care. The engagement of all family members in an open conversation around pregnancy (particularly, decision-makers, i.e., husband, father-in-law, mother-in-law), can lead to breaking the cycle of taboos, bringing them from the sidelines to the centre of pregnancy and post-partum care. This would catalyse a fine balance between the practical and strategic gender needs, leaving a sustained effect in terms of women's decision-making, health and overall well-being. This article is authored by Amana Raoof, MEL analyst, Kashish Saran, associate and Anshita Sharma, associate manager, social economic empowerment, IPE Global.
