Alcohol Industry and the Wellness Movement

Younger generations have grown to be more health-conscious today; they are more active, eat cleaner, and limit their alcohol intake. Due to this wellness movement, the alcohol and hospitality industries must find new ways to meet the growing demand for low alcohol and zero alcohol beverages. Alcoholic drink manufacturers and associated companies are learning to embrace this shift by associating themselves with wellness in new product lines and marketing campaigns. 

A surging new product rising in the millennial market is mocktails. What are mocktails? Mocktails are booze-free spirits including cocktails, wines, or beers that contain an alcohol percentage of zero. 

To predict the future of the alcohol industry and the success of its new product developments, we must first understand the trends driving change. There are two consumer trends driving the wellness movement and how the alcohol industry responds to them: sober curiosity and mindful drinking. 

Sober Curious 

Whether you are health-conscious or not, you have encountered movements from social influences challenging people to be healthier individuals. Monthly challenges including Dry January and Sober October are two popular “sober curious” social media challenges that involve living sober by abstaining from consuming alcohol for 31 days.  

With many people refraining from alcohol, one would think that the alcohol industry is lacking sales, however, they are capitalizing on this movement by offering alternatives. 

Substitutes for alcoholic drinks is not a new concept. Ready-to-drink (RTD) mocktails have become widely available for those opting for no alcohol. Replacing cocktails with mocktails has long been practiced, but companies have begun to package and market mocktails to consumers focused on their health. Along with being free of alcohol, they offer premium ingredients that could benefit one’s health and are seen as a tasty refreshment. This includes booze-free mojitos, margaritas, mules, and more. 

While also not a new concept, there is a resurgence of alcohol-free beers and wine on the shelves. Major beer and wine producers have shifted to invest millions of production dollars to roll out new low-alcohol and zero-alcohol product lines. According to a Global Market Insights report, the booze-free wine and beer market is expected to increase. The global Non-alcoholic Beverages market size is estimated to be worth USD 1342.7 million in 2022 and is forecast to a readjusted size of USD 1779.8 million by 2028 with a CAGR of 4.8% during the review period.

Mindful Drinking 

No longer seeking bartenders with a heavy hand, consumers are practicing mindfulness to be in better control of themselves to prioritize health while drinking spirits by means of limiting the alcohol by volume (ABV). Mindful drinking is the act of being cognizant of why and how one consumes alcohol, which leads to less consumption for a healthier experience. This practice does not always mean mindful drinkers are not consuming beverages with a high ABV; they may also just consume booze in moderation by taking a longer pause between sips to savor the flavor, choosing an alternative beverage between orders, and setting limits.

How to drink mindfully: 

1. Be proactive: Set an intake limit and plan to decline drinks. 
2. One event at a time: Instead of setting a multi-day restriction strategy focus on mindfully drinking one event at a time to avoid overwhelming goals.
3. Half-amounts: Order your next drink with half the original alcohol content amount.
4. Switch your orders up: In-between drinks order a non-alcoholic beverage. 
5. Get a snack: Break up your drinks by trying a new food item to buy some more time.
6. Feel the movement: Remember the choice to mindfully consume alcohol is bigger than you, it’s an entire movement!
7. Take it slow: Savor the flavors by taking more time in-between sips to mindfully taste each flavor in your cocktail. 
8. Aftereffect: Take joy in the lucidity of living sober!

Regardless of whether consuming alcohol-free or low-ABV, there is a new shift in consumers caring for their health leading to a billion-dollar market for the alcohol and hospitality industry. 

Spiritus Law would like to remind you to drink responsibly.