Canada predicts that sales of carbonated soda will have grown there by 2% in 2005 despite bad press and pessimistic reports. A market analyst said that consumers around the world will have guzzled a massive 194 billion liters of soda last year, the equivalent of 30 liters per drinker, even though the sector has come under intense criticism. Eastern Europe leads the way with a 7 % surge in demand for carbonated soft drinks between 2004 and 2005, while Asia, Central & South America, the Middle East & North Africa and the rest of Africa all clocked up growth of 3 or 4 %. They did fall by 1% in North America and Australia. This is not altogether surprising. Food and drink producers have come under increasing pressure in Europe and the US amid concerns over rising obesity rates, and soft drinks have increasingly been targeted.
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