Alcoholic drinks in 2024: The big picture
Volume sales of alcoholic drinks fell in the US in 2024, though sales grew in current value terms during the year. The final year of the review period saw alcoholic drinks continue to suffer from a decline in per capita consumption. Even as alcoholic drinks price rises and general inflation slowed from the previous year, consumers remained bearish in their purchasing habits. Save for a modest return to volume growth for RTDs after hard seltzer’s losses normalised, all other topline categories saw a decline in consumption. While much is made of this decline being attributable to mindful consumption and a shifting generational interest in alcoholic drinks, the inability of new non alcoholic analogues or soft drink volumes to account for a substitution pattern draws a throughline to the persistence of the cost-of-living crisis. This hesitancy in exploration and splurging drove many of the same category themes of 2023 into 2024. Imported, particularly Mexican, and non alcoholic brands continued to gain share in beer while mid-priced lager and craft struggled. Even as the boycott-induced losses of the Bud Light brand tapered, competition from other domestic offerings from the Molson Coors and Pabst portfolios failed to supplant the category’s total losses. Tequila (and mezcal) remained the bright spot for spirits sales while brandy and cognac plummeted further as modes of luxuriation shifted. Finally, cider and wine, even with their fiercest advocates arguing for their relevancy, variety, and untapped opportunities, held onto successes at the small and regional scale while sales at large contracted.
2024 key trends
Beer remained the largest category within alcoholic drinks overall in 2024. The category’s steady loss of volume share looks to have steadied in recent years, with the dynamic looking even less concerning to many manufacturers given the success of beer-adjacent categories in the RTDs space. In contrast to the clean, muted flavour of domestic lager that has dominated consumption for decades, flavour-centric vehicles of convenience have come into vogue by evoking profiles akin to soft drink trends or outright extending brands from the carbonates space. While the wine category, progenitor of the original RTDs brand in Bartles & Jaymes, has struggled to maintain its relevance by modernising in the name of volume share, malt-based RTDs and hard seltzers have emphatically embraced the potential for occasion. Traditional beer may hold future opportunities given the cycle of consumer tastes, especially as Diageo’s Guinness reclaims momentum in the US on-trade culture, but for now the fight comes down to advocating for the category’s share of spend.
Competitive landscape
Anheuser-Busch InBev NV (AB InBev) was the leading company within alcoholic drinks overall in 2024. The dramatic loss of share that AB InBev experienced in 2023 normalised in 2024, with its wide portfolio and necessary pivot towards premiumisation girding it against further attrition in a difficult market. This shift towards a renewed focus on its core brands has extended into growth segments such as non alcoholic beer, where its Michelob Ultra brand, which is already marketed as low in calories and carbohydrates, finally found a place in its 0.0 offering in January 2025. The company has also embraced beverage premiumisation in the spirit-based RTD space with its Beyond Beer catalogue and, in particular, its NÜTRL suite of vodka seltzers. If the trajectory of US alcoholic drinks success is pivoting from volume dominance to value share, AB InBev is intent on navigating that dynamic.
Retail developments
Food/drink/tobacco specialists was the leading distribution channel within alcoholic drinks overall in 2024. Legislative restrictions on channel access for alcoholic drinks continue to favour speciality and liquor stores, particularly given the high relative unit price of spirits and more restrictive controls on where the category can be sold. However, the channel’s position has weakened slightly in recent years due to competition from modern grocery, in which small headway has been made as consumers target convenience and the reduction of shopping occasions in a perceived state of time debt. There has also been slight attrition of share from discounters as more consumers look to stretch their spending due to the prolonged cost-of-living crisis.
On-trade vs off-trade split
It was another rough year for alcoholic drinks away-from-home as both volumes and value receded in 2024, with consumers still grappling with the cost-of-living crisis and shifting their purchase priorities. An increase in the perceived value of wellness-aligned and experiential occasions came at the expense of food and beverage spending in the on-trade. Transactions at restaurants and bars remained well below their 2019 numbers, and many outlets struggled to pivot in light of increased input costs. The forecast for sales remains similarly dour, as economic uncertainty due to tariffs and a disrupted supply chain will similarly threaten discretionary spending and prices.
What next for alcoholic drinks?
Volume sales of alcoholic drinks are expected to stagnate over the forecast period. While much talk late in 2024 was about the growing likelihood of consolidation as inflation cooled, the impact of trade wars and the dismantling of environmental regulations have softened any such optimism. The polarisation of consumption patterns will see an increasing divide, with the increasing erosion of the middle class likely to push buyers into the premium or economy segments. Prominent marketing themes have emerged for each of these segments, respectively embracing relaxation and escape, and nativist protectionism and nostalgia. As-domestic-as-possible sourcing and production is becoming a necessity in the US in the face of exorbitant fuel costs and import taxation. Meanwhile, a continuous reformulation strategy is becoming necessary to preserve quality, as securing everything from sweetener to caffeination to carbonation becomes tenuous. Small craft categories in the spirits, wine, and RTDs category have the potential to prosper by embracing this calamity through local sourcing and sustainability.
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Overview:
Understand the latest market trends and future growth opportunities for the Alcoholic Drinks industry in USA 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 USA, 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 USA 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 USA?
- 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 USA?
- How are products distributed in USA?
- 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 the US
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 the US
KEY DATA FINDINGS
Rising prices and economic challenges drive down volumes
AB InBev stays out in front, while Crown Imports gains share
Regulations continue to play key role in distribution landscape
Non alcoholic beer remains a bright spot
Threat from cannabinoid beverages
Demand for non/low alcohol beer driving experimentation
Lager price band methodology
Cider/Perry in the US
KEY DATA FINDINGS
Cider’s growth honeymoon ends as market maturation reveals winners and losers in increasingly competitive landscape
Market leader loses share to fragmented craft segment despite margin pressures forcing regional closures
E-commerce growth provides lifeline for craft brands struggling with shelf competition
Continued market contraction set to accelerate consolidation, while imperial format innovation has potential to generate value
Terroir-driven regional authentication becomes competitive advantage as educated consumer base seeks premium expeirences
Packaging innovation a critical differentiator as sustainable aluminium formats challenge traditional glass
Rtds in the US
KEY DATA FINDINGS
RTDs bounces back
Mike’s Hard Beverage stays out in front, while EJ Gallo rises to third
Lobbyists make some headway, but specialists still dominate
Positive outlook, with some protection from inflationary pressures
Significant challenges ahead
Cracking the non alcoholic code
Spirits in the US
KEY DATA FINDINGS
Major categories face challenges
Sazerac closes gap on leader, while Campari evokes Italian travels
Food/drink/tobacco specialists remain dominant due to regulatory restrictions
Growth potential in latter part of forecats period
Tariffs and counter-tariffs to exert strong influence
Likely focus on development of existing portfolios
Vodka, gin, other blended Scotch whisky, dark rum and white rum price band methodology
Wine in the US
KEY DATA FINDINGS
Changing consumer attitudes hit wine consumption
Top players leverage brand innovation and reposition in a shrinking market to combat competiitve pressures
On-trade stagnation and rising demand for lower alcohol options reshape wine distribution trends
Wine category faces continued structural headwinds despite innovation efforts
Sustainability and premium positioning become essential for survival in contracting market
Wine industry innovation risks accelerating consumer migration to alternative categories
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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