As ‘Dry January’ Increasingly Extends Year-Round, Opportunities Broaden

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London – ‘Dry January’ may have ended last week, but new research suggests the movement is the start of a wider health and wellness trend that is gaining traction across the world, providing new opportunities for the global beverage alcohol industry.

As consumers increasingly look for ways to reduce their alcohol intake, a comprehensive new study just released by the IWSR, the leading authority on data and intelligence of the global beverage alcohol market, offers an in-depth analysis of the growing low-alcohol and no-alcohol categories. The IWSR Global Opportunities in Low- and No-Alcohol report examines market sizing by volume, key players in the industry, on-trade analysis, product innovation, and important consumer trends.

“The ‘Dry January’ movement isn’t new, but one of the reasons we’ve heard so much more about it this year is the broader trend that points to consumers’ increased interest in physical and mental health.

The IWSR’s study indicates that at present, the low- and no-alcohol sector is poorly served, with few clear category leaders. In the UK, for instance, low-/no-alcohol brands represent only 1.3% of the country’s total beverage alcohol market. In the US that number is even smaller at 0.5%.

Bartender attitudes towards low- and no-alcohol products varies widely by market as well. In almost all markets, the IWSR’s research shows that the off-trade channel (beer/wine/spirits retailers) offers significantly more selection of low- and no-alcohol products than bars and restaurants.

Specific market trends in low/no alcohol include:

United States

Though 52% of US consumers surveyed in the IWSR’s study report that they’re trying to reduce their alcohol intake, over 70% of people say they have not yet considered drinking low- or no-alcohol beverages.

The largest category gainer in the low/no sector in the US will be ready-to-drink products (at +38.8% CAGR 2018 to 2022).

United Kingdom

Looking back 10 years ago it was virtually impossible to find non-alcoholic beer in the UK’s ubiquitous pubs or supermarkets. That has changed considerably. In fact, 2019 saw the emergence of the first non-alcoholic beer-dispensing mechanism in London bars. Low-/no-alcohol products are forecasted to show healthy growth in the UK.

According to the IWSR’s survey, 65% of the heaviest UK alcohol consumers (25-34-year-olds) are trying, or have tried, to cut back on their alcohol intake.

Spain

Spain is one of Europe’s largest and most well-established low-/no-alcohol drinks markets, particularly in the beer and mixed drinks segments.

At least 50% of bars and 60% of restaurants surveyed in Spain have low- or no-alcohol beverages, many with branded cocktails on their menus.

Australia

Mindful drinking is a discernable trend in Australia, with over half of consumers surveyed indicating they have or would consider drinking low-/no-alcohol products, spurring a small but burgeoning low-/no-alcohol industry in the country.

Non-alcohol beer commands the largest share of the low- and no-alcohol market in Australia but is expected to decline very slightly by -0.1% (CAGR 2018-2022).

Germany

Germany is a significant market for dedicated low-/no-alcohol products, particularly non-alcoholic beer, with 60% of consumers surveyed reporting that they have, or would consider, drinking low-/no-alcohol products.

One of the factors contributing to growth and awareness of low-/no-alcohol products are the ‘Alkoholfrei’ (alcohol-free) searchable databases in all the major beverage ecommerce platforms in the country. There are also platforms entirely dedicated to alcohol-free solutions.

Low- and no-alcohol spirits are predicted to grow by 14.4% to 2022 in Germany.

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Press contact: Greg Cohen – greg.cohen@theiwsr.com, +1 917 714 8237

Other enquiries: enquiries@theiwsr.com

About the IWSR

The IWSR is the leading source of data and intelligence on the alcoholic beverage market. The IWSR’s database, essential to the industry, quantifies the global market of wine, spirits, beer, cider and mixed drinks by volume and value in 157 countries, and provides insight into short- and long-term trends, including five-year volume and value forecasts. The IWSR tracks overall consumption and trends at brand, price segment and category level. Our data is used by the major international wine, spirits and beer companies, as well as financial and alcoholic beverage market suppliers. The IWSR’s unique methodology allows us to get closer to what is actually consumed and better understand how markets work. Our analysts travel the world in order to meet over 1,600 local professionals to capture market trends and the ‘why’ behind the numbers.