LONDON - Sales of soft drinks in the U.K. increased 7.5 percent last year to ?9.4 billion ($15.0 billion U.S.), despite difficult economic conditions and a particularly long, cold winter, the Guardian News & Media Limited reports.

Convenience stores and small supermarkets benefitted from a spike in the popularity of single-serve cans and bottles for people on the move, according to a report by soft drinks company Britvic.

Energy drinks and those containing glucose (Red Bull and Gatorade, respectively) fared particular well, increasing 19 percent in volume (the article speculated that people facing longer working hours looked to glucose and stimulant drinks to boost energy levels).

Additionally, Lipton Ice Tea and Starbucks Discoveries and Double Shot drinks, what the U.K. refers to as "cold hot drinks," increased 93 percent by volume.

"Although people were watching their pounds, they were still willing to spend a comparatively small amount on a soft drink, whether it's at the train station on the way to work or at their local retailer on the way home from school," said Murray Harris, Britvic??s customer management director.

"2010 was another a tough year for U.K. consumers, but soft drinks remained resilient. The increase in 'top up' shopping and single serve soft drinks sales has been great news for convenience retailers after they endured a difficult 2009."