With a young population that has a tendency to go out more, HCMC’s out-of-home (OOH) non-alcoholic beverage (NAB) consumption ratio surpassed the global average of 52 percent, according to a study by consumer research firm Kantar Worldpanel.

Of the 10 countries Kantar surveyed, Vietnam, represented by HCMC, ranked fourth in OOH consumption by percentage, behind Indonesia, Spain and Thailand’s 64-67 percent. At the bottom of the list were Brazil, Mexico, France and Portugal with 28-37 percent.

However, in terms of drinking occasions in HCMC, 61 percent of NAB drinking was in-home (IN), while only 39 percent was OOH.

For both OOH and IN drinking, coffee and tea were the two most popular choices for Saigonese, accounting for one out of four drinking occasions each, while around a third was dedicated to nutritional and health drinks, Kantar said.

When consumers go out for drinks, coffee is the most popular choice in HCMC, especially the ready-to-serve format.

Coffee registered the highest purchasing frequency among NAB, being bought nearly three times per month per individual.

At home, juices were the most popular followed by loose leaf tea and instant coffee. The report also noted that the energy drink segment in HCMC has become much more innovative and competitive recently, with yearly growth of 6-7 percent in both rural and urban areas in Vietnam.

Sixty two percent of energy drink consumers in HCMC were individuals below 35, a demographic that makes up only 47 percent of the population.

In terms of occasions, energy drinks were mostly consumed at work or school (44 percent), followed by street restaurants and coffee shops (36 percent) and sport centers/gyms, on the go or during outdoor activities (13 percent).

A person in HCMC spends on average VND4.5 million ($195) a year on non-alcoholic drinks, VND2.9 million ($126) for IN and VND1.6 million ($69) for OOH purchases.