A growing wave of "functional drinks" – from electrolyte-boosted lemonades to probiotic sodas – now line supermarket shelves alongside traditional soft drinks, promising benefits ranging from mental clarity and calm to energy and gut health. The trend is fuelled by influencer and celebrity endorsement, including actor Gillian Anderson's own brand, and reflects a broader shift in consumer habits as shoppers increasingly seek wellness benefits from everyday food and drink purchases rather than viewing them purely as treats.

The category spans products aimed at very different audiences, from high-caffeine drinks like Tenzing and Neutonic competing with energy drinks such as Red Bull, to pastel-branded prebiotic and probiotic drinks and minimalist "bro culture" hydration brands like Celsius, which packs roughly 200mg of caffeine per can. Financially, the sector is booming: globally worth about £115bn a year and forecast to double by 2030, with UK sales at £100m annually and a quarter of consumers now wanting functional benefits from their drinks, up from 13% in 2024. Ingredients vary widely, including added vitamins and minerals, adaptogenic and nootropic botanicals such as ashwagandha and lion's mane, plus caffeine, CBD, collagen, protein, fibre or probiotics, though the article questions whether the marketed benefits are backed by genuine evidence.