Alcoholic drinks in 2024: The big picture
Alcoholic drinks in Morocco witnessed dynamic growth in 2024. While economic conditions limited household spending on premium alcoholic drinks, strong inbound tourism continued to support on-trade demand in restaurants, hotels, and bars. Many local consumers continued to face inflationary pressures and high living costs, driving the shift away from premium wines and spirits to more affordable alcoholic beverages, including economy beers and locally produced options. The elimination of import duties on alcoholic beverages and the stability of internal taxation has enabled greater availability of international brands, supporting category diversification and increased competition. Economic constraints have created a clear consumer divide between local and foreign consumers. Tourists and locals in upper-income groups continue to favour premium products, while most locals traded down to cheaper alternatives or reduced frequency of consumption. With easier market access due to trade policy changes, international players are introducing more varied offerings, including RTDs and niche spirits, catering to both tourist demand and a curious urban youth segment.
2024 key trends
Beer was the largest category within alcoholic drinks overall in 2024, registering strong volume and outpacing both wine and spirits. Beer is generally the cheapest alcoholic entry point for Moroccans, especially compared to wine or spirits, which have seen large tax hikes. Wide availability in supermarkets, convenience stores, and horeca outlets also gives beer a strong competitive advantage. The recovery of tourism has driven on-trade beer consumption well above pre-pandemic levels in Morocco. Beach resorts, bars, and restaurants prioritise large stocks of lager for tourists and expats, as easy-drinking lagers are ideal for hot climates and casual social settings. Domestic brands like Casablanca and La Speciale Flag dominate due to price and familiarity.
Competitive landscape
Leading player Groupe des Brasseries du Maroc SA, owned by Castel Groupe, controls Morocco’s core beer supply with brands such as La Speciale Flag, Stork, and Casablanca, and breweries in Casablanca, Fes, Tangier, and Marrakesh. Groupe des Brasseries du Maroc SA owns vineyards and primary supply chains in Morocco and across Africa, keeping input costs low and enabling competitive pricing across beer, wine, and soft drinks. Following Heineken’s departure, Groupe des Brasseries du Maroc SA plans to rebrand and expand its domestic beer portfolio, boosting promotional investment, refreshing packaging, and targeting tourists and locals with labelling and value pricing. Groupe des Brasseries du Maroc SA is also scaling its Moroccan wine business, leveraging hypermarkets and the on-trade to support its mid-tier and premium domestic brands.
Retail developments
Carrefour is the sole hypermarket and supermarket chain offering alcoholic drinks alongside independent stores. Alcoholic drinks companies have been eager for this monopoly to end, as Carrefour imposes high margins reaching 45% of price, while other independent outlets apply low margins ranging from between 5-10%. This high margin has kept prices of alcoholic drinks high in Morocco, thus curtailing volume growth. To boost consumption and offer competitive prices to consumers, several alcoholic drinks players have invested in creating their own chained stores.
On-trade vs off-trade split
On-trade sales of alcoholic drinks continued to thrive in 2024. While the on-trade was heavily impacted by the pandemic and subsequent lockdowns in Morocco, volume sales saw a rapid rebound in 2022 and 2023 due mainly to the recovery of inbound tourism. The surge in tourist arrivals favours sales of premium alcoholic drinks, namely wines and spirits in restaurants and bars. Sales improved significantly at the end of 2022 with a record surge in tourist arrivals during the end of the year Christmas festivities and New Year’s Eve celebrations. As result, more players opted to import premium brands that cater to the preferences of foreign tourists in on-trade channels. However, the on trade was less frequented by price sensitive local consumers, who tended to make purchases in retailers given the price difference.
What next for alcoholic drinks?
Alcoholic drinks in Morocco is set to witness dynamic growth over the forecast period. Rising tourism and urbanisation will expand the consumer base, especially in coastal cities and tourist hubs where alcohol consumption is more socially acceptable. Moderation in tax hikes will stabilise prices and provide more affordable choices, thus driving volume sales across the beer and wine segments.
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Overview:
Understand the latest market trends and future growth opportunities for the Alcoholic Drinks industry in Morocco with research from Euromonitor International's team of in-country analysts – experts by industry and geographic specialisation.
Key trends are clearly and succinctly summarised alongside the most current research data available. Understand and assess competitive threats and plan corporate strategy with our qualitative analysis, insight and confident growth projections.
Data and analysis in this report provides further detailed coverage dedicated to the following key categories, where applicable:
- Beer
- Wine
- Spirits
- Cider and Perry
- RTDs
If you're in the Alcoholic Drinks industry in Morocco, our research will help you to make informed, intelligent decisions; to recognise and profit from opportunity, or to offer resilience amidst market uncertainty
The Alcoholic Drinks in Morocco report includes:
- Analysis of key supply-side and demand trends
- Detailed segmentation of international and local products
- Historic volume and value sizes, company and brand market shares
- Five year forecasts of market trends and market growth
- Robust and transparent research methodology, conducted in-country
This report answers:
- What is the market size of Alcoholic Drinks in Morocco?
- Where is consumer demand for Alcoholic Drinks focussed?
- Which is being consumed more; beer, wine or spirits?
- Where is demand growing? Stagnating?
- How is the operating environment for alcoholic drinks changing?
- Which are the leading brands in Morocco?
- How are products distributed in Morocco?
- What are the key trends in new product development?
- Do consumers want value for money or added value?
- How will macroeconomic context and shifting cultural values shape future growth?
- How will COVID-19 and recession impact the alcoholic drinks industry?
- Where is future growth expected to be most dynamic?
Alcoholic Drinks in Morocco
Alcoholic drinks in 2024: The big picture
2024 key trends
Competitive landscape
Retail developments
On-trade vs off-trade split
What next for alcoholic drinks?
Legislation
Legal purchasing age and legal drinking age
Drink driving
Advertising
Smoking ban
Opening hours
On-trade establishments
TAXATION AND DUTY LEVIES
Contraband/parallel trade
Duty free
Cross-border/private imports
Outlook
DISCLAIMER
Beer in Morocco
KEY DATA FINDINGS
Dynamism in beer is fuelled by tourism and affordability
Groupe des Brasseries du Maroc SA maintains leading position
Hypermarkets is the leading retail distribution channel
Domestically-produced beers set to gain share
Non-alcoholic beer to grow well from low base
Emergence of craft-style beer using local ingredients
Lager price band methodology
Rtds in Morocco
KEY DATA FINDINGS
RTDs have low appeal among locals
Bourchanin & Cie SA leads with Smirnoff Ice
Small local grocers is leading point of sale
Tourism will dictate sales performance in RTDs
Alcohol-free RTDs to gain traction
Cocktail-themed RTDs offer growth potential
Spirits in Morocco
KEY DATA FINDINGS
Spirits still unaffordable for majority of Moroccans
Chai Andrieux maintains its stronghold in the spirits category
Small local grocers enjoy solid growth
Strong performance in on-trade will support category growth
Informal supply of spirits is challenge for legitimate trade
Innovation from lower alcohol and local spirits
Vodka, gin, other blended Scotch whisky, dark rum and white rum price band methodology
Wine in Morocco
KEY DATA FINDINGS
Wine enjoys steady growth supported by local producers
Les Celliers de Meknes maintains strong position in 2024
Drink specialists consolidate the lead in wine distribution
Buoyant prospects ahead for the wine industry
Off-trade expansion is set to gain traction
Convenience formats to drive wine consumption
The following categories and subcategories are included:
Alcoholic Drinks
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- Ale
- Sorghum
- Weissbier/Weizen/Wheat Beer
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- Flavoured/Mixed Lager
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- Domestic Premium Lager
- Imported Premium Lager
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- Domestic Mid-Priced Lager
- Imported Mid-Priced Lager
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- Domestic Economy Lager
- Imported Economy Lager
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- Domestic Premium Lager
- Domestic Mid-Priced Lager
- Domestic Economy Lager
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- Imported Premium Lager
- Imported Mid-Priced Lager
- Imported Economy Lager
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- Low Alcohol Beer
- Non Alcoholic Beer
- Stout
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- Regular Cider/Perry
- Non Alcoholic Cider/Perry
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- Malt-based RTDs
- Spirit-based RTDs
- Wine-based RTDs
- Other RTDs
- Non Alcoholic RTDs
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- Brandy
- Cognac
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- Bitters
- Cream-based Liqueurs
- Other Liqueurs
- Non Alcoholic Spirits
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- Prestige Dark Rum
- Ultra Premium Dark Rum
- Super Premium Dark Rum
- Premium Dark Rum
- Standard Dark Rum
- Economy Dark Rum
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- Prestige White Rum
- Ultra Premium White Rum
- Super Premium White Rum
- Premium White Rum
- Standard White Rum
- Economy White Rum
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- Tequila (and Mezcal)
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- Bourbon/Other US Whiskey
- Canadian Whisky
- Irish Whiskey
- Japanese Whisky
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- Blended Malt Scotch Whisky
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- Prestige Other Blended Scotch Whisky
- Ultra Premium Other Blended Scotch Whisky
- Super Premium Other Blended Scotch Whisky
- Premium Other Blended Scotch Whisky
- Standard Other Blended Scotch Whisky
- Economy Other Blended Scotch Whisky
- Single Grain Scotch Whisky
- Single Malt Scotch Whisky
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- Other Whiskies
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- Prestige English Gin
- Ultra Premium English Gin
- Super Premium English Gin
- Premium English Gin
- Standard English Gin
- Economy English Gin
- Dutch Gin
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- Prestige Vodka
- Ultra Premium Vodka
- Super Premium Vodka
- Premium Vodka
- Standard Vodka
- Economy Vodka
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- Absinthe
- Ad-Mix Brandy
- Ad-Mix Gin
- Ad-Mix Rum
- Ad-Mix Vodka
- Ad-Mix Whisky
- Aguardente/Aguardiente
- Aguardiente De Caña
- Akvavit/Aquavit
- Aniseed-Flavoured Spirits
- Borovicka
- Boukha
- Brandy Type Distilled Spirits
- Cachaça
- Calvados
- Cane
- Chacha
- Charanda
- Chinese Herbal Spirits
- Chinese Spirits
- Cut Brandy
- Destilados De Agave
- Distilled Fruit Spirits
- Domestic Brandy
- Domestic Rum
- Doppelkorn
- Economy Chinese Spirits
- Flavoured Spirits
- Flavoured Vodka-based Drinks
- Fynbos gin/Local Gin
- Gin-flavoured spirits
- Goldbrand/Goldkrone
- Grappa
- Grappamiel
- Guaro
- Kirsch
- Komovica
- Korn
- Lambanog
- Limoncello
- Local White Spirits
- Lower Mid-Range Chinese Spirits
- Lozovaca
- Maesilju
- Mahia Rabi Amrane
- Mead
- Mixed Spirits
- Nalivka/Nalewka
- Nastoyka
- National Specialities
- Obstbrände
- Ouzo
- Pacharán
- Palinca/Pálinka
- Pear and Apple Distillates
- Pisco
- Premium Chinese Spirits
- Prune
- Punsch
- Rachiu/Rakija
- Rum-Flavoured Spirits
- Samane
- Sambuca
- Samsu
- Schnapps
- Shochu/Soju
- Singani
- Sljivovica/Slivovice
- Steinhäeger
- Strong African Spirits
- Super Premium Chinese Spirits
- Sura Khao
- Tequila Flavoured Spirits
- Travarica
- Tsipouro
- Upper Mid-Range Chinese Spirits
- Vieux
- Viina
- Vodka Type Distilled Spirits
- Other Distilled Beverages
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- Port
- Sherry
- Vermouth
- Other Fortified Wine
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- Apple Wine
- Bokbunjaju
- Cheongju
- Chinese Wine
- Economy Rice Wine
- Fortified Fruit Wine
- Fruit and Berry Wine
- Fruit and Herbal Wine
- Fruit and Honey based Wine
- Fruit Wine
- Lower Mid-Range Rice Wine
- Non-Grape Dessert Wine
- Premium Rice Wine
- Sake
- Takju
- Upper Mid-Range Rice Wine
- Yakju
- Yellow Wine
- Other Non-Grape Wine
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- Champagne
- Other Sparkling Wine
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- Still Red Wine
- Still Rosé Wine
- Still White Wine
- Non Alcoholic Wine
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Alcoholic Drinks
Alcoholic drinks is the aggregation of beer, wine, spirits, cider/perry and RTDs.
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This report originates from Passport, our Alcoholic Drinks research and analysis database.
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