For the alcoholic beverage industry, the “reset” narrative we spotlighted last year has hardened into something more structural in 2025 and 2026: moderation is mainstreaming, habits are shifting, and value-seeking is now baked into behavior–all layered on top of ongoing policy shifts and tariffs. Even when consumers "treat themselves," they're doing it more selectively, choosing the right occasion, the right price point, and the right format. But it's not all doom and gloom for industry marketers. People still want to gather, they're just drinking differently. That means brands still have room to grow, but they have to earn it harder. In this “subdued but opportunity-rich” reality, winning brands are selling meaning: occasions, identity and cultural membership. To help navigate these shifting cultural forces, we’ve put together a primer on the key trends reshaping alcohol demand across the U.S. and Europe, along with the marketing playbooks proving effective right now.
Seven Market Forces Reshaping the Industry
| Trend | What’s Changing | What it Means for Brands & Marketers |
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1. Gen Z’s Sobriety Surge |
Moderation and sobriety are becoming identity-driven, not seasonal. Social experiences still matter, alcohol content does not. |
Rethink value beyond alcohol. Focus on social occasions, inclusive formats, low- and no-alc options, and experiences that align with wellbeing and budget awareness. |
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2. RTDs as the Growth Engine |
RTDs are the only major category with consistent volume growth, reshaping casual and spontaneous drinking moments. |
Lean into convenience, variety, and accessible premium cues. RTDs are a gateway to trial, experimentation, and selective treating. |
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3. The Premiumization Paradox |
Premium growth is becoming selective and occasion-based, with pressure in the “premium middle.” Tequila stands out as an exception. |
Premium needs a clear story and purpose. Invest where indulgence feels earned, especially in RTDs and standout spirits, while managing exposure in squeezed tiers. |
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4. Packaging Takes Center Stage |
Packaging is now a compliance tool, trust signal, and media channel, especially with stricter EU labeling rules. |
Treat packaging as an always-on touchpoint. Scannable, transparent designs can educate, build trust, and drive post-purchase engagement. |
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5. Sustainability Goes Regulatory |
Sustainability is shifting from brand positioning to regulatory and procurement reality, with concrete reuse and material mandates. |
Decisions must align across legal, supply chain, and finance. Frame sustainability as performance and efficiency, not just virtue signaling. |
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6. Digital Shifts from Search to Ask |
Discovery is increasingly AI-led, with consumers asking for recommendations before shopping. E-commerce growth is more omnichannel than DTC. |
Make brands machine-readable, compliant, and recommendation-ready. Visibility now depends on how well AI systems can understand and surface your products. |
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7. Tariff Roulette |
Tariffs are volatile and uneven by category, creating planning uncertainty and margin pressure. |
Build flexibility through pricing discipline, portfolio diversification, inventory planning, and focus on less-exposed SKUs and markets. |
From campaigns working right now: brands reaching consumers who drink less, expect more, and buy based on identity, not product.
| Strategy Playbook | Core Insight | What Winning Brands Do |
| 1. Design for Moderation as a Lifestyle | Drinking patterns are fluid, not binary. Consumers mix alcohol and NA within the same week or occasion. | Make switching feel normal and social. Remove friction with easy trial, clear cues, and formats that support tempo drinking. |
| 2. Own Occasions, Not Categories | With less overall consumption, brands win by owning moments, not demographics. | Engineer products, creative, and activations around specific micro-occasions and rituals. |
| 3. Partner for Cultural Credibility | Attention lives with creators, platforms, and communities, not brands alone. | Plug into existing cultural ecosystems and add real value that works even without your logo. |
| 4. Lead With Values and Identity | Fewer purchases mean values act as a filter. Authentic conviction cuts through sameness. | Signal what the brand stands for through actions tied to place, culture, or belief, not just claims. |
| 5. Normalize NA Through Credible Voices | Non-alcoholic remains socially loaded and choice-heavy. | Use sober or sobriety-adjacent celebrities to make NA feel confident, mainstream, and low-stakes. |
| 6. Design for the Feed | Discovery increasingly happens on phones before shelves. | Build packaging and ideas that read instantly on screen and invite sharing. |
| 7. Use On-Premise as a Discovery Engine | Bars and venues drive trial, trade-up, and later retail conversion. | Empower bartenders and turn venues and events into immersive brand moments. |
| 8. Bridge Generations Through Shared Occasions | Fewer drinkers means narrower targeting backfires. | Anchor campaigns in universal moments and references that span age groups. |
| 9. Turn the Label Into a Decision and Re-Engagement Tool | Packaging is the most consistent consumer touchpoint. | Simplify choice in seconds and use QR as an expandable, value-driven relationship channel. |
| 10. Be Legible to AI Discovery | Consumers now ask AI before they search or shop. | Structure product data clearly, define repeatable descriptors, and connect curiosity to compliant conversion paths. |
The alcohol industry is moving away from product obsession toward lived experience. What matters now is not just what’s in the bottle, but the role it plays in real moments. As volume softens and expectations rise, growth comes from helping people create occasions worth choosing into.
The brands best positioned for the next phase are those that design for flexibility, show up meaningfully in real moments, and make themselves easy to choose whether by a bartender, a label, or an AI recommendation. Winning won’t come from chasing every consumer, but from earning a place in fewer, more intentional occasions and turning those moments into lasting relationships.
Snipp’s technology and marketing solutions help brands in highly regulated categories such as beer, wine, and spirits run compliant, high-performing promotions and loyalty programs. With built-in fraud protection, and omni-channel execution that delivers measurable ROI. Explore examples here and contact us to know more!