Drinkers across the globe consumed a total of 27.6bn nine-litre cases of alcohol in 2018. While that number represents a decrease of 1.6% from the year prior, new data from the IWSR forecasts that total alcohol consumption will steadily increase over the next five years, to 28.5bn cases in 2023.
In terms of retail value, the global market for beverage alcohol in 2018 was just over $1tn, a number which the IWSR expects to grow 7% by 2023 as consumers continue to trade up to higher-quality products.
The just-released IWSR Drinks Market Analysis Global Database shows the largest gain in global beverage alcohol consumption in 2018 was in the gin category, which posted total growth of 8.3% versus 2017.
Spurred by innovation in whisky cocktails and highballs, the global whisky category increased by 7%, whilst the mixed drinks category (which includes premixed cocktails, long drinks, and flavoured alcoholic beverages) grew 5%.
However, global beer consumption declined 2.2% in 2018, impacted greatly from volume decreases in China (-13%). However, the future outlook for beer paints a more positive picture, as the category is expected to show a slight increase in 2019 and post a 0.7% CAGR 2018-2023.
Wine, which had posted strong global growth in 2017, lost 1.6% in volume in 2018 as wine consumption declined in major markets such as China, Italy, France, Germany and Spain (the US market was flat). However, although consumers are drinking less wine, they’re increasingly drinking better – pushing up wine value.
Meanwhile, low- and no-alcohol brands are seeing significant growth in key markets as consumers increasingly seek better-for-you products, and explore ways to reduce their alcohol intake. Growth of no-alcohol beer is expected at 8.8%, and low-alcohol beer at 2.8%. No-alcohol still wine is forecasted at 13.5%, and low-alcohol still wine at 5.6%. Growth of no-alcohol mixed drinks is predicted at 8.6%.
“Every year our analysts spend months traveling the world to speak with suppliers, wholesalers, retailers, and other beverage alcohol professionals to assess what is happening market by market in this fast-changing business,” said IWSR CEO Mark Meek.
“The raw data we collect is enormously valuable, but equally important is what that data tells us in terms of trends, challenges, and opportunities facing the industry.”
