‘A major reset’: beverage alcohol volumes fall again in 2025

Total beverage alcohol (TBA) volumes declined for the third successive year in 2025, falling by -2% or 500m nine-litre cases, according to newly released data from IWSR.

Beer, wine and spirits volumes all contracted versus 2024, with RTDs the only major category to see growth, and wine volumes fell below spirits for the first time. No-alcohol was once again a positive for the industry, and there were also gains for Indian whisky, Irish whiskey, Tequila and bitters/spirit aperitifs.

In a challenging year, India continued to represent the strongest growth market, posting TBA volume growth of +4%. Currently the world’s eighth-largest global beverage alcohol market, it is expected to rise to fifth spot by 2035. Meanwhile, Türkiye was a key growth market in Europe, with the standard price segment driving gains across multiple categories.

“The global beverage alcohol market is undergoing a major reset,” says Marten Lodewijks, IWSR Managing Director & President. “Consumers aren’t abandoning alcohol, but they are being more intentional about the frequency and intensity with which they drink it. While volumes are still broadly declining, hotspots of growth and opportunity persist.”

Signs of maturity for dynamic RTD category

The clearest bright spot for beverage alcohol in 2025 was RTDs, which grew volumes by +3% despite a fall in the dominant US market – the first annual decline since 2015. Nonetheless, premium-and-above RTD volumes rose by more than +15%, and the US still accounts for about 40% of total global category volumes.