Ready-to-drink cocktails and other new canned drinks are playing off of hard seltzer’s innovation, and in the process, taking some of its some growth momentum. Year to date, RTDs share is growing at 15 times the rate as hard seltzer on Drizly. And quite surprisingly, consumers know little about what makes hard seltzer…hard seltzer…and what differentiates it from its newer competitors.
The fine print matters to some in alcohol purchase decisions, and the most to Gen Z, Drizly says. With the pandemic came a
growing thirst for knowledge about how products are made, who makes them and what brands stand for. Our consumer
survey found that it’s no diferent with alcohol, whether scrutinizing ingredients on a can, researching a brand’s ownership or gaining an understanding of sustainable practices. However, which factors matter most difer across generations.
The pandemic brought drinking occasions home. How did behaviors change and which will stick around? Changes
in consumption behaviors as a result COVID-19 were perhaps rivaled by only those wrought by Prohibition. Virtually
overnight, after work drinks, dinners out and weekend brunches were replaced with virtual stand-ins and at-home
occasions. The question is no longer just which behaviors were created during the pandemic, but which have staying power beyond the pandemic
A majority of consumers are ready to get back to “normal,” but for some, pandemic impacts are lasting. It is no secret that the pandemic had a significant impact on where and how consumers socialized and celebrated occasions throughout 2020 and into 2021. However, halfway into the year, the impact is shifting as restrictions lift and the on-premise fully reopens across the US. While about half of consumers are ready to return to “normal,” the other half are split.
While the pandemic fueled alcohol e-commerce, it is poised for long-term growth, Drizly says, adding that like many categories, online sales and delivery of alcohol skyrocketed over the past year and half as consumers looked for ways to shop from the safety of their own home.
As we move beyond the pandemic, not only will online ordering continue, Drizly predicts, but a majority of consumers expect to order alcohol online more than they did during the pandemic. As demand for online alcohol purchasing has grown, so have the channels in which consumers can do so. From ordering directly from retailers or producers to shopping across retailers and brands on marketplaces – where are buyers shopping for drinks online?
Is hard seltzer’s bubble about to burst? While the breakout drink of 2019 and 2020 is still growing, it’s not what 21-plussers say they will reach for first this summer. Ready-to-drink cocktails and other new canned drinks are playing of of hard seltzer’s innovation, and in the process, taking some of its some growth momentum. Year to date, RTDs share is growing at 15 times the rate as hard seltzer on Drizly.
Asked which factors are important when considering an alcohol brand to purchase, 39% of respondents said that perceived “healthiness” mattered to them, good for the first place spot among major consideration factors when taking traditional drivers like price and availability out of the equation.
When asked which health factor is the most important in the purchase decision, transparency of ingredients and
calories count rose to the top, each selected by 20% of respondents. Family ownership, size and local-ness matters too, 34% of survey takers ranked these factors second.
Asked where do they plan to drink alcoholic beverages most regularly this summer and fall? According to IWSR, historically the split between on-premise and of-premise alcohol sales is 20% vs 80%, respectively. Drizly’s 2021 consumer survey shows signs of moving back towards this “normal” split after nearly a year and a half of the pandemic’s impact causing a significant decline in on-premise consumption. Some 16% of respondents to Drizly’s survey say plan to drink most regularly in bars and restaurants this summer and fall. 69% plan to sip at their own and friend’s or family’s homes, while 14% expect to drink most regularly at outdoor locations like parks and beaches.
