The Future of Wine and Spirits 2026
As wines and spirits continue to face headwinds, brands should showcase their benefits story, invest in tasty lower ABVs and offer permissible premium RTDs for thrifty moderators.
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WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
- Where we are now
- In the next two years
- In the next five years
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IN THE NEXT TWO YEARS
- Mintel's perspective
- Prove value as loyalty remains under threat
- Wines, spirits and RTDs will continue to prove value as drinkers shop around for deals
- Harness unique flavours and brand trust to prove value for wines and spirits
- Graph 1: factors that influence consumer choice of one white spirit over another, 2025
- Spirits and RTDs will anchor in the familiar and stretch into emerging flavours
- Graph 2: experience with and interest in flavours in alcoholic beverages, 2024
- Favourite fruit flavours with a twist will offer 'safe' experimentation
- Brands that emphasise heritage and resilience will dial up brand trust
- Wines and spirits should resist the temptation to cut ad spend in uncertain times
- Graph 3: [no title]
- Premium spirits will use brand trust to extend to the value tier in uncertain times
- Premium RTDs will continue to steal share from wines and spirits
- Permissible RTD cocktails are eclipsing the popularity of spirits
- The rise and rise of global alcoholic RTD launches
- Graph 4: FAB launches as a proportion of total spirits and FAB launches by region, 2021 vs 2025
- Wine and spirits-based RTDs will still have headspace to claim premium
- Graph 5: proportion of FAB launches claiming premium quality on pack in each region, 2012-25
- Premium spirits brands will continue to extend into RTD
- Premium RTD aperitivo spritz cocktails will continue to rise
- Spritz cocktail RTD launches go global as local brands offer 'Italian-style' RTDs
- Permissible wines and spirits will resonate with thrifty moderators
- Alcohol moderation will continue to gain traction
- Graph 6: proportion of consumers who limit alcohol consumption all or most of the time, 2025
- Soft drinks will continue to outshine alcohol alternatives in the short term
- Graph 7: consumption of beverages as an alternative to alcohol, at home or on premise, in last three months, 2025
- 0% ABV wines and spirits will continue to emerge slowly
- Graph 8: wine and spirits launches claiming alcohol-free, as a proportion of total launches, 2020-25
- Offer reduced-ABV wines and spirits to deliver complex flavours
- Graph 9: proportion of spirits launches with reduced alcohol (15-30% ABV), 2020-25
- Graph 10: reduced-ABV wine launches (5-9.5% ABV) as a proportion of total wine launches, by region, 2020-25
- Reduced-ABV wines and spirits will label as 'mid-strength' to target sessionable drinking
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IN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS
- Mintel's perspective
- Pragmatism on provenance will reframe attitudes to premium
- Provenance will require a pragmatic approach going forward
- Graph 11: select attitudes towards provenance in premium wines and spirits, 2025
- Consumers will see reduced access to premium wines and spirits from traditional origins
- Wines and spirits sourced from non-traditional origins will find ways to tap premium
- Localism will drive more Western hybrid launches in India and China
- International spirits will adapt as localism trends in India and China
- Global wine and spirits brands will move more production to India to tap the trend for local
- Western wine and spirits will find ways to resonate with Chinese culture
- Brace for a gradual decline in volume sales
- Wine and spirits growth will continue their gradual decline
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KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Key takeaways
Discover the future trends in the global wines and spirits market with Mintel’s Future Of report. The report identifies the key consumer and industry trends that will impact the global drinks industry over the next five years.
The most important upcoming trends in the wines and spirits market are analysed and succinctly presented alongside relevant insights from Mintel’s consumer data. So you can understand how consumer demands will change and identify future innovation and growth opportunities.
This report also presents Mintel’s analysts’ pick of the most innovative and inspirational launches in alcoholic drinks. Understanding the future of wines and spirits has never been so easy.
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