What is the most popular soda brand among teenagers? New survey details explored

Piper Sandler, an investment banking firm, recently completed its survey on teenagers' spending trends. Titled 'Taking Stock with Teens,' this is the 49th edition of the survey, and it presents some surprising results.

The survey examines how teenagers allocate their resources across various categories such as clothing, food and beverages, beauty, technology, and more. This year, 6,450 participants were selected for the survey.

In the soda category, Dr. Pepper surprisingly came out on top, beating Coca-Cola and Pepsi. It is not only the most preferred soda, but it also outperforms Gatorade.

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Dr. Pepper has been on the rise in recent years

Dr. Pepper Ties Pepsi For 2nd Most Popular Soda In U.S., After Coca-Cola (Image via Getty)

While it’s surprising that Dr. Pepper outperformed Coca-Cola in Piper Sandler's survey, the brand has been on the upswing. According to a report in Beverage Digest (via CNN), Dr. Pepper surpassed Pepsi to become the second-largest soda brand in the United States in 2023.

The report indicates that Coca-Cola comfortably led the market with a 19.2% share by volume, while both Dr. Pepper and Pepsi held 8.3%. However, Dr. Pepper was technically ahead as it was gaining, while Pepsi was in decline. Sprite and Diet Coke followed them at 8.1% and 7.8%, respectively.

Dr. Pepper was first introduced in 1885 by Charles Alderton in Waco, Texas. It was first marketed in 1940. In the United States, it is manufactured by Keurig Dr. Pepper. Interestingly, it is produced by the Coca-Cola Company in the United Kingdom, Japan, and Korea, and by PepsiCo in Europe.

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More from Piper Sandler's 'Taking Stock with Teens' survey of US teenagers

Piper Sandler's survey (Image via Piper Sandler)

The survey showed a rise in spending among teenagers. The participating teens reported spending $2,388, which is higher than the amounts noted in the 2024 and 2023 surveys.

Katherine Wolfmeyer, a research analyst at Piper Sandler, said in a press release:

“Piper Sandler is excited to highlight the results of our spring 2025 Taking Stock With Teens® survey which offers an inside look at how thousands of U.S. teens are spending their money and its correlation to our economy. This spring, teens self-reported annual spending at $2,388, which is an increase from both our spring 2024 and fall 2024 surveys.”

Food & Beverage

Dr. Pepper is the most preferred soda brand among teenagers, outpacing Coke and Gatorade. However, energy drinks are the most preferred type of beverage compared to coffee and soda. In terms of food, Chick-fil-A ranks as the top preferred chain restaurant, followed by McDonald's and Chipotle Mexican Grill.

Clothing & Footwear

According to the survey, Nike remains at the top of the clothing category, followed by Hollister and American Eagle, respectively. Meanwhile, UGG has dethroned Lululemon as the top fashion trend among upper-income women. Notably, Lululemon held this position from 2018 to 2024.

Beauty

e.l.f. Cosmetics is at the top of the most preferred cosmetics brand among female teenagers in the country. Meanwhile, as a beauty shopping destination, Sephora tops the charts, followed by Ulta and Bath & Body Works.

Technology

In social media, Instagram is the most-used app with 87% monthly user base among teenagers. TikTok is second with 79%, while Snapchat is third with 72%. In terms of entertainment, Netflix remains the top choice for daily video consumption.

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