# Functional Soft Drinks M&S Food Adds This.is.gspot Soda Range with Four Functions By Amy Duong | Written with AI assistance | Published 2026-10-13 | Lifestyle Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/functional-soft-drinks-trend References: [instagram](https://www.instagram.com/reel/DeZE6twiTat/)  M&S Food is adding this.is.gspot by gilliana with functional soft drinks built around four drink functions: Lift, Soothe, Protect and Awaken. The range blends botanicals, adaptogens and nootropics, giving each can a clearer use case than a standard soda. The line is headed into local M&S Foodhalls, so shoppers can pick it up as part of an ordinary grocery run. Those four functions make the range easy to shop by mood or moment, whether someone wants a calmer break or a sharper lift. The formula also keeps the ingredient story centered on botanicals, adaptogens and nootropics instead of flavor alone. At M&S Foodhalls, this kind of shelf placement gives functional drinks a mainstream retail setting rather than a niche wellness aisle. It broadens soda into a more purpose-led purchase and gives M&S another way to sell beverages through routine food shopping. Image Credit: M&S ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 5.5/10 - Popularity: 52% | Activity: 14% | Freshness: 100% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Gen Z, Millennial - Top markets: Europe ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Lifestyle](https://www.trendhunter.com/lifestyle) > [Food](https://www.trendhunter.com/food) ## Key Themes ### What Makes This Trend Stand Out - **Mood-based Beverages:** Soft drinks organized around emotional states and daily moments create room for brands to replace flavor-led choice with purpose-led refreshment. - **Mainstream Functional Sodas:** Grocery placement for adaptogen and nootropic sodas signals a shift where wellness-oriented beverages become part of routine shopping rather than niche discovery. - **Botanical Ingredient Positioning:** Ingredient stories built around botanicals, adaptogens and nootropics offer beverage makers new ways to differentiate everyday products with perceived functional value. ### Sectors Adopting This - **Non-alcoholic Beverages:** Purpose-specific soda formats expand the category beyond refreshment by blending taste with clearer wellness and performance associations. - **Grocery Retail:** Functional drink ranges in standard foodhall environments give retailers a higher-value beverage proposition tied to everyday consumer missions. - **Health and Wellness:** Convenient soft drink formats are making wellness benefits more accessible, merging supplement-inspired ingredients with familiar ready-to-drink consumption habits. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Functional Mood Drinks](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/peak-moods.md) - [Functional Sparkling Beverage Expansions](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/chill-spritz.md) - [Functional Lemonade Beverages](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/functional-lemonade-beverages.md) - [Functional Botanical Sodas](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/on-the-brightside.md) - [Functional Bottled Tea Beverages](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/evolution-fresh-organic-teas.md) - [Functional Hybrid Benefit Beverages](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/chimba-drinks.md) - [Mineral-Rich Functional Drinks](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/inner-wild.md) - [Functional RTD Non-Alcoholic Cocktails](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/functional-nonalcoholic-cocktail.md) - [Enlightening Alcohol-Free Refreshments](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/de-soi-social-spritz.md)