There is a growing overlap between alcoholic, soft and hot drinks as consumer priorities shift. A sense of “experience”, achieved through settings or stories, is increasingly prioritised over rigid adherence to categories. Declining alcohol consumption across much of the world is opening up new opportunities in the dynamic premium adult beverage space. At the same time, traditional drinking rules are being eroded, allowing producers to target previously unviable consumption occasions.
Drinking habits are changing - alcohol consumption in volume terms has been falling for many years in key mature markets. At the same time, quality of ingredients, brand province and flavour are becoming increasingly central in consumer demand across drinks categories.
The blurring of product lines has been occurring in alcoholic drinks and soft drinks for some time. However, the pace of change is accelerating. Taking the trend a step further are hybrid products best described as alcoholic versions of traditionally non-alcoholic drinks - tea and kombucha lead the way.
Health awareness is influencing consumer decisions across categories. Artificial sugar concerns in soft drinks and efforts to limit alcohol intake are boosting the emerging middle ground between alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. Companies on both sides are exploring options for attracting consumers in this competitive premium non-alcoholic adult beverage space.
“Craft” was pioneered by small players in the beer industry, but elements of the trend now feature across drinks categories. Authenticity, heritage and artisanal credentials remain relevant. Many soft drinks players - large and small - are looking to draw on these ideas, for example, using cane sugar to enhance the sense of tradition.
The experiential aspects of consumption are gaining significance, particularly in the on-trade; bars and coffee shops are increasingly expected to offer something above and beyond a simple drinking location. As a result, traditional rules of drinking behaviour are becoming less rigid, and evening socialising may well involve a coffee rather than a pint.
If you purchase a report that is updated in the next 60 days, we will send you the new edition and data extract FREE! Home Page