UK Dark Spirits and Liqueurs – Market Dynamics 2025
Growing alcohol moderation makes it essential to continue to develop low-/no-alcohol versions, but brands will need to address the price barrier to these variants.
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THE MARKET
- Snapshot – market size and forecast
- Market size
- Value and volume sales of dark spirits and liqueurs prove volatile over 2019-25
- Graph 1: total volume sales of dark spirits and liqueurs, 2019-25
- Graph 2: total value sales of dark spirits and liqueurs, 2019-25
- Category value and volume sales fall, rise and then fall again from 2019-25
- Market forecast
- Value sales growth to pick up pace in 2027-28 with improved on-trade performance, then slacken off
- Graph 3: market size and forecast for total value sales of dark spirits and liqueurs, 2019-30
- Volume sales will pick up in 2027-28 with consumers’ improved finances; alcohol moderation trend will erode sales longer term
- Graph 4: market size and forecast for total volume sales of dark spirits and liqueurs, 2019-30
- Channels to market
- On-trade loses ground to off-trade in 2024-25 as consumers continue to economise
- Graph 5: total value sales of dark spirits and liqueurs, by on- and off-trade, 2023-25
- Retail market segmentation
- Whisky continues to lead the market but loses volume sales in 2024-25
- Graph 6: retail value sales of dark spirits and liqueurs, by segment, 2023-25
- Retail market share
- Leading whisky brands struggle in 2024-25
- Graph 7: retail value sales of whisky, by top five brands and own-label, 2022/23-24/25
- Jack Daniel’s and the Famous Grouse lead the whisky segment, but see lacklustre sales in 2024-25
- Own-label gains share from brands in 2024-25
- Baileys dominates the liqueurs category, but loses out to own-label in 2024-25
- Graph 8: retail value sales of liqueurs and others^, by top five brands and own-label, 2022/23-24/25
- Leading liqueur brands lose ground to own-label in 2024-25
- Market drivers
- Weak consumer confidence drives down category sales in 2024
- Graph 9: the financial confidence index, 2016-25
- Inflation for wine and spirits slackens off in 2024, but gains speed in 2025
- Graph 10: inflation in wine and spirits and all-items, 2021-25
- UK and US government policies add to the pressures on the industry
- Pub closures continue in 2024, with more predicted for 2025
- Increased alcohol moderation drives down category sales
- Graph 11: alcohol reduction and non-usage, 2022-25
- Projected growth in 20-34s will give some support to category sales
- Graph 12: trends in the age structure of the population, 2020-25 and 2025-30
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WHAT CONSUMERS WANT AND WHY
- Usage of dark spirits and liqueurs and frequency
- Under-35s and the financially better-off are the key drinkers of both dark spirits and liqueurs
- Graph 13: usage of dark spirits and liqueurs, by gender, age and financial situation, 2025
- Behaviours relating to dark spirits and liqueurs
- Address the price barrier around low-/no-alcohol versions
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INNOVATION AND MARKETING TRENDS
- Launch activity and innovation
- Sweet treat-inspired flavours continue to be popular for NPD
- Advertising and marketing activity
- Jack Daniel’s highlights its heritage and links up with influencers
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APPENDIX
- Market definition – whisky
- Market definition – brandy/rum
- Market definition – liqueurs
- Supplementary market data
- Whisky value sales – brands
- Whisky volume sales – brands
- Whisky value sales – brand owners
- Whisky volume sales – brand owners
- Rum value sales – brands
- Rum volume sales – brands
- Rum value sales – brand owners
- Rum volume sales – brand owners
- Brandy/cognac/armagnac value sales – brands
- Brandy/cognac/armagnac volume sales – brands
- Brandy/cognac/armagnac value sales – brand owners
- Brandy/cognac/armagnac volume sales – brands
- Liqueurs value sales – brands
- Liqueurs volume sales – brands
- Liqueurs value sales – brand owners
- Liqueurs volume sales – brand owners
- Market forecast data and methodology
- Forecast methodology
- Market forecast and prediction intervals (value)
- Market forecast and prediction intervals (volume)
- Consumer
- Consumer research methodology
- Nielsen Ad Intel coverage
- Snoop SpendMapper methodology
- Abbreviations and terms
This Market Dynamics report features market data extracted from Mintel’s UK Dark Spirits and Liqueurs Market Report 2025. Giving you direct access to key market information and analysis from our category experts. This report is ideal for those looking for a topline summary of the UK spirits and liqueurs market. The full UK report is available to purchase here.
Meet the Expert Behind the Analysis
This report is written by Alice Baker. Alice analyses and writes on the UK Food & Drink sector, having joined Mintel in January 2016. She has previously worked for the International Meat Trade Association and in local government. She holds a BA in History and an MA in History of Political Thought from University College London.
Growing alcohol moderation makes it essential to continue to develop low-/no-alcohol versions, but brands will need to address the price barrier to these variants.
Alice Baker
Food & Drink Analyst
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