The iconic soft drink has ranked at the top of Checkout magazine’s Checkout Top 100 Brands list for nearly two decades. 

The iconic soft drink remained at the top of Checkout magazine’s Checkout Top 100 Brands 2021 list, ahead of Tayto, this year’s number two brand, and chocolate brand Dairy Milk, at number three.

At number four was Lucozade, followed by Avonmore in fifth place, and Brennans bread at sixth.

Monster continues its move up the list. The energy drink took seventh place, a jump from 11th place in last year’s list. The previous year it ranked 25th.

The soft drink 7Up, at eighth, RedBull at ninth, and Jacobs at 10th, rounded out the top 10.

The rankings are produced in partnership with NielsenIQ, reports The Irish Times. The numbers reflect the value of sales in Ireland’s grocery retail sector for the 12 months leading up to April 25, 2021. Private label products were not included in the rankings.

According to Checkout editor Maev Martin, the rankings reveal that the COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on consumer purchasing habits.

“In 2020, we witnessed a big transition to in-home food and drink consumption. This continued into 2021, and will remain with us until there is a return to an open economy.”

In Checkout’s Top 100 Categories list, health/functional drinks made the biggest jump, rising a “phenomenal” 27 places to 60th. The jump indicates the extent of last year’s market shift.

“This massive upward move isn’t surprising given consumers’ desire to improve their health and boost their immune systems during the pandemic,” said Martin.

“Hair Colourants, which last featured in our Top 100 in 2014, is the second-highest mover, rising by no fewer than 25 places, from outside the Top 100 last year – when it ranked at number 108 – to number 83. With hair salons closed for long periods during 2020 and into 2021, it isn’t surprising that this category has re-entered our Top 100 and simultaneously shot up the rankings."

*Originally published in September 2021. Updated in June 2022.