Upcoming drinks industry trends and how you can stay ahead of the game

The recent Scottish Brand Footprint report from market research company Kantar has thrown up some interesting trends in the drinks industry from 2019.

Here are some of the stats and how your company can stay ahead of the game.

1. Minimum Unit Pricing has had an effect on shoppers’ habits with value sales growing faster and volume sales declining, showing that people want to buy better.

Do your brand plans reflect that consumers are willing to pay more for premium products? Shifts in opinion of a brand may seem impossible but think of Stella Artois! With the right strategy, you can premiumise your product and appeal to those looking to consume less but better.

2. The low ABV alcohol market has attracted an additional 200,000 shoppers this year in the UK, seeing value growth of 24%.Beer and wine have the biggest majority in this sector, with low ABV beer growing at the rate of 49%.

While all brands could consider low and no options, there is huge opportunity within the spirits category as there are relatively few brands playing in this space.

Even within the beer/wine sector, you could be creative with your current products and promote smaller measures to be used in spirit-free cocktails to provide a lower ABV alternative.

3. Special occasions are an important influencer in alcohol sales.

Gift packs and limited editions are a fantastic way to tap into this hugely profitable opportunity. They also provide additional shelf space in store which is hard to come by in a crowded marketplace.

4. Plastic waste is a big issue for consumers with 48% thinking manufactures should lead on reducing their plastic waste.

There are so many innovative plastic-free packaging solutions out there, it’s a good time to think about switching to something more environmentally friendly.