NielsenIQ (NIQ) launched “The Halftime Report,” a beverage alcohol scorecard measuring the entrance half of 2025. The report discovered that whole beverage alcohol gross sales are down 3% year-over-year, totaling $53 billion, for the 26 weeks ending July 5, together with the preliminary Fourth of July impacts.
For the important thing beverage alcohol segments (beer, wine and spirits ), the report discovered the next efficiency
- Beer: -3.1% in {dollars}, -4.7% in quantity
- Wine (excluding ready-to-drink): -5.9% in {dollars}, -6.7% in quantity
- Spirits (excluding ready-to-drink): -2.8% in {dollars}, -3.2% in quantity
The report additionally tracked the entire ready-to-drink (RTD) with all base varieties mixed. This phase noticed greenback gross sales up 1.7% and quantity down 3.2%.
For what’s instore for the beer class, report writer Kaleigh Theriault states: “Some segments of beer, tremendous premium and non alc, have been capable of finding progress. Summer season promoting for 2025 is falling brief for beer, and the following few weeks by Labor Day may have substantial affect on total 2025 efficiency.”
Theriault pinpoints the traits affect wine efficiency. “Moderation, premiumization, and financial issues have impacted wine this yr,” she writes. “Wines, each desk and glowing, across the $20 retail value level are being acknowledged by retailers and suppliers as a candy spot with shoppers and buyers because it’s a match for high quality and worth. Glowing Wine above $50 is bucking declining greenback traits.”
In the meantime, Theriault explains within the report that the spirits enterprise continues to be impacted by the RTD market, however nonetheless has some segments of progress.
“Tequila continues to be the favored entrance half 2025 selection driving progress in spirits, with smaller beneficial properties in ready-to-serve, non alc spirits and cordials,” Theriault writes.
Theriault highlights the positives of RTDs, however notes taste innovation can be vital going ahead.
“RTD has momentum in {dollars} as drinkers premiumize with Spirits RTDs,” Theriault writes. “The patron desire for flavors is current in RTDs, however might want to transcend conventional flavors to proceed to seize the RTD viewers.”
For the primary half, the report notes that moderation, wellness and social motion impacted quantity and worth efficiency, including that financial strain and premiumization are prompting buyers towards merchandise that ship on high quality, comfort and worth.
For the again half of 2025, the report predicts that core beer, wine and spirits will battle attain flat progress charges, whereas RTDs will hold the momentum in place for beverage alcohol for income, however quantity will doubtless fall brief.
