Drizly – an Uber company and a leading alcohol e-commerce and on-demand delivery platform – released its fourth annual Consumer Trend Report.
The report's findings uncover what Americans are poised to drink this summer and throughout 2022, generational preferences and differences when it comes to alcohol, and how long we can expect recent phenomena – like the rise in home bartending – to last.
“This year's survey, along with purchase patterns we're seeing on Drizly, sheds light on a rapidly evolving American adult beverage consumer and on Gen Z’s growing influence,” said Cathy Lewenberg, chief operating officer at Drizly. “The youngest buying cohort's willingness to purchase premium products, and their embrace of ideas like non-alcoholic alternatives, could have far-reaching implications for what, how and when we'll choose to enjoy alcohol in the coming years. And overall, we saw consumer preferences indicating that the rising popularity of ready-to-drink cocktails isn't slowing down anytime soon, and tequila's growth spurt will only continue in 2022 as spirits’ appeal expands even further with shoppers.”
Here are five areas to note, among this year's highlights from the report:
1. Tequila, Tequila… and More Tequila
The agave-based spirit, rising fast the past few years, is poised to find its way into even more glasses – and now, cans – this summer. Adults surveyed put tequila seven percentage points ahead of American whiskey, another red-hot category, when asked about spirits they plan to purchase more this year.
Meanwhile, tequila-based ready-to-drink cocktails ranked at the top in terms of new kinds of drinks Americans want to try most, cited by 43 percent of those surveyed.
2. As Ready-to-Drink Cocktails Rise, Home Mixology May Be Falling
Ready-to-drink cocktails (RTDs) ranked as the top adult beverage respondents anticipate buying more of this year, and separately, 73 percent of respondents said they would most likely enjoy RTDs at home. Further, more than one-third of those surveyed said they’re making fewer cocktails from scratch since they started drinking RTDs. This could contribute to a potential decline in home mixology, which gained in popularity over the past few years during the pandemic.
3. Millennials and Gen Z Are Saying Yes to Non-Alcoholic Drinks
Gen Z (38 percent of respondents) and Millennials (25 percent) are miles ahead of Gen X (15 percent) and Boomers (eight percent) in their views of replacing at least some traditional drinks with non-alcoholic versions. “Healthier lifestyle” (44 percent) was chief among reasons why, outpacing “lower calories or sugar” by 10 percentage points. Men (49 percent) outdistanced women (36 percent) in citing health as their primary motivation for going the non-alcoholic route.
4. Gen Z Has a Surprisingly Big Taste for Red Wine… and More Expensive Alcohol for Certain Occasions
In a surprise, the nation's youngest legal drinkers cited red wine as the drink they most anticipate buying more of this year, topping a list that included tequila and hard seltzer, and outpolling even Gen X and Boomers for wanting more red. Gen Z is also inclined to spend more on premium alcohol at casual get-togethers – even more so than their older cohorts.
5. Giving Alcohol as Gifts "Just Because" Could Become More Common
It's not just Father's Day, anniversaries and the holidays. This year's survey points to routine alcohol gifting continuing to become more common. Shopping activity on Drizly also makes this case, where gift giving during non-traditional months is rising year-over-year, while the share of gifts purchased on the platform overall increased by 66 percent in 2021 compared to 2020.
The fourth annual Drizly Consumer Trend Report is based on results from a Prodege Decipher survey conducted among a sample of 1,004 U.S. adults, aged 21 and older who have purchased alcohol in the past 90 days. Respondents had to reside in one of 33 states in order to qualify for the survey, which was was fielded in April 2022.
To learn more about Drizly, visit Drizly.com.
Plan to Attend or Participate in the
Vibe Conference, Feb. 27 – March 1, 2023
To learn more about the latest trends, issues and hot topics, and to experience and taste the best products within the on-premise beverage community, plan to attend the Vibe Conference, Feb. 27 to March 1, 2023 at the Sheraton San Diego Hotel & Marina. Visit VibeConference.com.
To book your sponsorship or exhibit space at the Vibe Conference, contact:
Fadi Alsayegh
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Email: [email protected]
Phone: 917-258-5174
Donna Bruns
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Phone: 936-522-6932
Charlie Forman
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Phone: 845-262-1041
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