The past few years have seen a notable shift in consumer preferences for beverage alcohol around the world, with ready-to-drink (RTD) beverages gaining market share – not just from beer, but also from still and sparkling wine.
Since 2019, the growth of RTDs in a number of key markets, including the US, Japan and Australia, has coincided with a steady volume decline for still wine in particular. In terms of global serves, still wine’s share declined from 11% in 2019 to 10% in 2024, and is set to shrink further to 9% in 2029, according to IWSR data. Meanwhile, RTDs’ share of serves has increased from 1% in 2019 to 2% in 2024, and is expected to hold at that level to 2029.
This trend is particularly apparent in markets where RTDs have a strong presence, such as the US, Japan, Australia and Canada, but it is also increasingly influential in emerging RTD destinations, such as Germany.
“While still wine has come under pressure in recent years, thanks to an ageing consumer base and a perceived lack of accessibility, RTDs have become increasingly popular, boosted to a combination of convenience, flavour innovation and messaging that taps into the health and moderation trend,” explains Richard Halstead, COO consumer insights.
“RTDs are also culturally resonant, often backed by celebrity influencers, and are social media-friendly, contrasting with wine brands’ frequent struggles to maintain relevance and appeal to younger, Gen Z consumers.
“Sparkling wine has fared better recently, but its fragmentation is illustrated by growth for Prosecco, but declines elsewhere. The segment is still often seen as occasion-led – used for celebrations – rather than everyday.”
The lines between RTDs and wine are also becoming increasingly blurred with the growth of wine spritzers, canned wine cocktails and wine-infused RTDs, as is highlighted in IWSR’s RTDs Strategic Study 2024. “As RTD consumers’ repertoires expand, purchase incidence for wine spritzers is increasing, especially among Millennials,” says Halstead. “Wine spritzers and coolers are doing particularly well in South Africa, and the segment is also strong in Mexico and Germany.”
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