Mindful Drinking

One of the key buzz words to come out of 2018 was ‘balance’. Worldwide, people have been striving to achieve a greater equilibrium in all aspects of daily life – and consumers’ relationships with alcohol has been an important focus in the past 12 months.

For some time, drinkers have been taking a more considered approach to their alcohol consumption. What was once a trend confined to campaigns such as Dry January and Go Sober for October has evolved into a lasting lifestyle choice – particularly among the millennial and Generation Z demographics. Brands globally have responded to this social shift and created a vast assortment of lower­-alcohol offerings, such as Absolut Juice, as well as non­-alcoholic ‘spirits’, such as Seedlip and Ceder’s.

As we roll into 2019, the popularity of these serves is sure to continue – and the category will expand. It will no longer be enough to simply add a new brand to the sector: the pressure will be on entrants to create a point of difference, carve out a niche and meet consumers’ demand for healthier drinking.