Alcoholic drinks in Slovakia saw a welcome boost to volume sales in 2024 as the warm and dry weather conditions during much of spring, summer, and autumn bolstered consumption. Beer and RTDs were the main winners in this regard as they offer a refreshing drink option. Promotional strategies and discounts also supported volume growth of alcoholic drinks, with modern grocery retailers relying on both to incentivise consumers who were still grappling with high costs of living. Indeed, lower purchasing power was an underlying challenge for the alcoholic drinks industry. Price sensitivity was most notable in the spirits category where a major hike in excise tax pushed up retail prices and caused spirits consumption to fall. Added to this, spirits is feeling the impact of a change in drinking behaviour, with a growing number of consumers shifting away from high-strength spirits and choosing to moderate their alcohol consumption, for health or lifestyle reasons. As such, there was an on-going shift towards lower alcohol and non-alcoholic variants.
Beer was the largest category within alcoholic drinks in 2024, with volume sales rising moderately in this year due to the overall warmer weather. Strong price promotions and discounts were used to drive demand and entice Slovak consumers in 2024, with many looking to save money due to economic uncertainty. Product innovation has also played a role in stimulating consumption. Although the commodity price of malt soared and drove up unit prices, this did not have a detrimental impact on beer volumes.
Competition in alcoholic drinks in Slovakia remained fierce with players utilising frequent price discounts to attract shoppers. Plzensky Prazdroj Slovensko was the leading company within alcoholic drinks in 2024, with a core portfolio of beer brands. Plzensky Prazdroj Slovensko has managed to successfully defend its volume share thanks to heavy promotional activity, product innovation, and a wide range of popular beer brands including the likes of Pilsner Urquell.
Hypermarkets and supermarkets ranked as the leading distribution channels for alcoholic drinks in 2024, with each commanding one-quarter of retail value share. These modern grocery retailers have continued to attract more consumers in the face of a difficult economic climate. Consumers were cautious with expenditure in 2024, with many shopping in retailers that offer the best value for money, a wide product assortment, and ongoing price discounts. More sophisticated loyalty programmes offering tailored shopping experiences, such as customised price discounts, and often through smartphone apps, boosted the appeal of supermarkets and hypermarkets in 2024.
The off-trade gained momentum in 2024 due to price sensitivity and the rising price of alcoholic drinks. The weak consumer sentiment in Slovakia negatively impacted consumer demand in the on-trade, as Slovaks braced themselves for higher taxes and austerity measures that are set to be introduced in January 2025. Legislation also significantly impacted the split between on-trade and off-trade channels in Slovakia during 2024. The VAT rate for alcoholic beverages was increased back to 20% in 2024, from 10% in 2023, following the lapse of the pandemic-related special taxation benefit for foodservice entrepreneurs. In response, on-trade alcohol prices soared pushing more Slovaks towards off-trade consumption in 2024.
Volume sales of alcoholic drinks are set to rise steadily over the forecast period driven by the rising preference for low and non-alcoholic beverages, particularly in beer. Slovaks have already started to consume less alcohol as part of a healthier lifestyle and due to the changing perceptions surrounding non-alcoholic drinks. Consumers will increasingly be offered more appealing substitutes in this category, although tasty alcohol-free options will remain a major challenge for players, especially for consumption in the on-trade channel.
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Alcoholic Drinks
Alcoholic drinks is the aggregation of beer, wine, spirits, cider/perry and RTDs.
See all of our definitionsThis report originates from Passport, our Alcoholic Drinks research and analysis database.
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