Moderation, mindful drinking, “zebra striping”, dry venues, retailers and events - non-alcoholic adult drinks are coming of age and disrupting industry perceptions, formulations and - ultimately - the entire drinking ritual. Is this an existential threat or a paradigm shift? What are the key drivers, demographics and positioning? This is a story of how sober curiosity ended up being exciting, normalised and a pillar of growth for an industry on the defensive.
The Intoxicating Appeal of Sobriety: Adult Non-Alcoholic Drinks go Mainstream global briefing offers an insight into to the size and shape of the Alcoholic Drinks market in both the off-trade and the on-trade, it highlights buzz topics, emerging geographies, categories and trends as well as pressing industry issues and white spaces. It identifies the leading companies and brands by total volume, offers strategic analysis of key factors influencing the market - be they new product developments, packaging innovations, economic/lifestyle influences, distribution or pricing issues. Forecasts illustrate how the market is set to change and criteria for success.
Key findings
An existential threat or a paradigm shift?
Non-alcoholic adult drinks are registering consistently strong performances across all categories and markets, against the backdrop of an alcoholic drinks industry facing a cocktail of headwinds, and provide a unique opportunity to reshape drinking rituals, occasions and positioning. Change is upon us and should be embraced - the alternative is stagnation and managed decline.
Cross-demographic appeal and optionality
While the current wave of non-alcoholic adult drinks was initially spearheaded by the younger Millennial and Gen Z demographics, the trend has now reached escape velocity and is becoming mainstream, finding relevance across age, gender and class. Moderation and having a choice rather than strict teetotalism remains the core driving force behind the trend.
From alcohol replicas to functionality cues
Adopting a trademark category term and alcohol-adjacent positioning could work for established brand extensions, and it is a step that can prove useful to anchor perceptions in the trend’s initial, educational stages. However, focusing on occasions and serve, and ultimately bravely pushing the limits of experimentation and embracing functionality is where the true strategic potential lies.
The cannabis factor: a hero ingredient?
Adaptogens, nootropics and a particular focus on mood enhancement and recreation will increasingly come to the fore. The cannabis drinks proposition straddles both these need states, while tapping into the rising cultural capital and wave of positive perceptions versus alcohol. Legislative barriers will hold the category back in the short term but long-term potential should not be ignored.
On the defensive: health lobbies and GLP-1 drugs add to the pressures
Headline grabbing anti-alcohol campaigns and the rise of anti-obesity medications that could further curtail consumption rates are underscoring the industry’s already sobering state. Nevertheless, adult non-alcoholic drinks should not be seen as yet another antagonist but rather as an answer to the questions posed both by governments and health professionals.
Report Scope
- Product coverage: Beer, Cider/Perry, RTDs, Spirits, Wine
- Data coverage: market sizes (historic and forecasts), company shares, brand shares and distribution data
Why buy this report?
- Get a detailed picture of the Alcoholic Drinks market;
- Pinpoint growth sectors and identify factors driving change;
- Understand the competitive environment, the market’s major players and leading brands;
- Use five-year forecasts to assess how the market is predicted to develop.
