So sad news for soda pop: sales of the bubbly beverage have been declining for seven years, and that decline is now speeding up — this while the overall beverage market here in the U.S. Continues to grow.

Here to talk with us in today’s Mid-day Extra is Gary Hemphill, managing director of Beverage Marketing Corporation.

For him, the declining soda sales have two things to blame: one, the increased consideration of health, and two, the fact that people just desire so much more variety than they did 20 or 30 years ago.

And in a rough economy, many of the more expensive beverages are actually selling well, because those who could normally afford them are also more likely to weather the economic storm than those in tougher financial states.