Alcoholic Drinks

Inflation and rising prices of most products, coupled with an increasing cost of living in 2023, negatively impacted consumer confidence in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Additionally, a negative demographic trend affecting the country contributed to the…

Alcoholic drinks in Bulgaria was heavily influenced by price increases in 2023, due to the prevalence of high inflation. The second half of the year saw inflation start to fall, but this had little impact on retail prices, which continued to rise in…

Despite strong growth in unit prices, alcoholic drinks marked positive volume growth in 2023. It is clear that Croatians are tired of social distancing and need to vent out. With COVID-19 measures all but gone, the number of events spanning across…

In 2023, sales of alcoholic drinks in Estonia experienced a pause following the hectic pandemic and post-pandemic periods. The local economy's underperformance added pressure on consumption. However, cross-border trade with Finland and Latvia…

In 2023, the impact of immigrants from Russia on alcoholic drink sales in Georgia was negligible, resulting in a more subdued sales growth compared to the previous year. Despite this, moderate inflation and a stable exchange rate contributed to the…

A combination of forces shaped the market for alcoholic drinks in Hungary in 2023. People were happy to break free from any COVID-19 related restrictions and live their social lives as they used to be. This was paralleled by the large pent-up demand…

Alcoholic drinks in Latvia witnessed volume sales decline in 2023 as economic conditions hampered purchasing power and led to weaker consumption. Price inflation remained prominent with higher production and energy costs putting upward pressure on…

The year 2023 was a sobering year for alcoholic drinks in Lithuania following a period of relative prosperity. Volume sales of alcoholic drinks boomed during the pandemic as locals consumed more out of boredom and general anxiety. The year started…

Despite the economic challenges and negative demographic trends in 2023, alcoholic drinks witnessed moderate total volume growth in North Macedonia. The rising number of inbound tourists boosted the performance of most alcoholic drinks categories in…

Sales of alcoholic drinks declined both in off-trade and on-trade volume terms in Poland in 2023. At the same time, alcoholic drinks saw strong growth in total current value terms. This was the result of a significant increase in the prices of…

Alcoholic drinks witnessed steeper volume sales decline in 2023 as the high costs of living in Romania encouraged consumers to make cutbacks on these beverages. The price of food continued to rise in line with the stubbornly high inflation rate,…

As COVID-19 fears subsided in 2022 there was a strong desire among many Serbian consumers to start socialising again with this helping to stimulate on-trade volume growth with sales fully recovering after the significant decline seen during 2020.…

2023 key trends

In 2023, spirits emerged as the fastest-growing category in alcoholic drinks in Slovenia, driven largely by the growing premiumisation trend. This trend heightened demand for craft spirits, as consumers sought premium drinks for a more sophisticated…

Adults in the Czech Republic consumed lower quantities of alcoholic drinks in 2023 due to the difficult economic climate and the growing preference for beverages with lower alcohol content. High inflation and the rising cost of living hindered…

One significant trend observed in beer in Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2023 was the challenge posed by market saturation and escalating prices. As consumer preferences continued to evolve, the product area faced a decline in overall demand, particularly…

In 2023, beer consumption in Bulgaria decreased resulting in a decline in off-trade volume sales. Bulgarians spent more time out of the home and increased their level of domestic and foreign travel, thus lowering at-home beer consumption. The…

In 2023, beer sales in Croatia saw a marginal increase in total volume sales, primarily attributed to the positive impact of tourism on on-trade consumption. However, off-trade sales, largely reliant on local residents, experienced a decline due to…

The year 2023 was neither the best nor the worst year for beer sales in Estonia. Following the post-pandemic recovery in 2022, 2023 saw a reconsideration of consumer purchasing habits, especially in the face of economic slowdown. Consumers were more…

In 2023, the volume sales of beer in Georgia continued to grow, albeit at a slower pace compared to previous years. This growth, although more stable, was underpinned by both an increase in domestic production and a rise in imports. The Horeca…

Beer saw volume sales fall significantly in Hungary in 2023. Brewers held high expectations of restoring volume sales back to pre-pandemic levels during the year. However, these efforts fell short, and the beer market experienced a decline at the…

Volume sales of beer decreased in 2023 due to strong price inflation which forced consumers to cut back on consumption. In the difficult economic climate, consumers switched to wine, RTDs, as well as spirits for mixing drinks. On-trade volume sales…

The year 2023 was a challenging for beer in Lithuania where volume sales in the both the off-trade and on-trade declined. Retail sales of beer fell into decline due to price inflation and concerns regarding the economy. On-trade beer volumes started…

Beer consumption slowed in North Macedonia over 2023 although total volume sales held steady. With inflation remaining well above normal levels, current value sales grew in double-digits with high prices across all beer categories. The off-trade saw…

Sales of beer declined in 2023 in on- and off-trade volume terms as high inflation and rising living costs restricted consumer purchasing power. With money being tight many consumers were forced to focus on basic necessities and therefore they were…

Beer in Romania suffered further volume sales decline due to lower purchasing power. Inflation remained stubbornly high with increasing manufacturing costs driving up average prices of beer. The adverse weather during the all-important summer months…

Serbians returned to the on-trade in greater numbers in 2022 as COVID-19 fears subsided and restrictions were lifted with this continuing to drive volume sales of beer. Lager remains by far the most popular beer in Serbia, although smaller beer…

Total volume sales of beer in Slovakia continued to decline in 2023, albeit at a slower rate than the previous year. Growth was impacted by mounting inflationary pressures, which weighed heavily on consumer purchasing power. While beer benefited from…

In 2023, the overall consumption of beer in Slovenia continued its decline as consumers increasingly shifted towards spirits, particularly gin and rum, which have become popular as social and luxury beverages. This trend is bolstered by a growing…

Beer in the Czech Republic came under further pressure in 2023, with on-trade volumes declining. Stubbornly high inflation continued to impact Czech consumers with the cost-of-living creating a tougher economic environment in 2023. The on trade has…

Consumer demand for cider/perry in Bosnia and Herzegovina tends to be highly volatile, given that this category is small within alcoholic drinks. In 2023, even minor changes and shifts had significant impacts on the category's performance. Following…

In 2023, the cider/perry category in Bulgaria witnessed strong growth in retail volume terms, thereby exceeding pre-pandemic levels. The development of this category is a result of the global trend towards low-alcohol and long drinks, especially…

In 2023, cider and perry in Croatia continued their upward trajectory, surpassing 2019 volume sales in both the off-trade and on-trade channels. This resurgence was primarily driven by the return of open-air socialising, concerts, festivals, and…

2023 saw a decline in cider/perry sales in Estonia. Although cider remains a popular beverage in foodservice during the summer, economic uncertainty in 2023 caused sales to suffer. Sweet options like Fizz and Kiss lost ground as consumers became more…

Cider/perry saw a rise in total volume sales in Hungary in 2023. Cider, a relatively new category in the Hungarian alcoholic drinks market, remains a small segment compared to beer, but is growing, in contrast to alcoholic flavoured/mixed lagers,…

Cider/perry grew well in Latvia during 2023 with the hot summer creating additional demand for this alcoholic beverage which is normally served very cold. Cider continued to gain back the losses incurred during the COVID-19 pandemic with the on-trade…

Volume sales of cider/perry plummeted in Lithuania during 2023 due to strong preference for alternatives. Consumers are put off from buying cider due to its high sugar content, a feature that even self-indulgent consumers tend to avoid. With…

Due to inconsistent consumer demand in North Macedonia, cider/perry witnessed volatility in sales over the review period. In 2023, cider/perry sales bounced back amid growing demand with double-digit volume growth and even stronger current value…

Cider/perry is a declining category, with a lack of interest or investment that could help stimulate sales. Due to falling demand, retail chains are reducing the shelf space provided for cider/perry, especially discounters, some of which have even…

Cider/perry in Romania has equally felt the impact of price increases and the high cost of living in 2023, as in other categories. However, volume growth rose slightly in the off-trade and on-trade, reflecting the increasing number of consumers loyal…

Cider/perry in Serbia continued to see strong and stable volume growth in total volume terms in 2022, although growth continued to come from a small consumer base. The on-trade channel witnessed stronger volume and value growth although this was…

Cider/perry in Slovakia continued to decline at a rapid pace in volume terms in 2023, following the withdrawal of major brands, including Pivovary Topvar’s Kingswood, and Budejovicky Budvar’s Somersby cider, in the previous year. This resulted in…

In 2023, cider emerged as the fastest-growing category of alcoholic drinks in Slovenia. Its increasing popularity can be attributed to the well-known health benefits of its ingredients and the high number of apples produced locally. Consumers are…

Price increases of cider/perry and the weak economic situation in the Czech Republic resulted in declining volume sales, whilst rising unit prices underpinned current value sales. The withdrawal of three key brands in 2022 continued to negatively…

Convenience continued to drive consumer demand for RTDs in Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2023, resulting in solid total volume growth. This growth, combined with rising RTD prices due to inflation, culminated in achieving strong double-digit percentage…

RTDs in Bulgaria witnessed another strong year of recovery in 2023, although this category is still growing from a small base. The re-activation of social lifestyles, people gatherings, festivals and other social occasions underpinned demand. Volume…

In 2023, spirits-based RTDs continued to dominate the Croatian market, bolstered by the popularity of well-known spirit brands that serve as the main ingredients for many of these RTDs. Notable brands include Smirnoff, Absolut vodka, Bacardi and…

RTDs in Estonia is the second largest in the Baltic states after Latvia, with Lithuania showing a different consumption pattern. Sales grew in 2023 as RTDs became a popular choice for consumers seeking a fizzy, low-alcohol alternative to beer or…

RTDs saw a rise in total volume sales in Hungary in 2023. The category was more exposed than most as rapidly rising inflation led Hungarians to exercise greater caution in their spending decisions, as these products are comparatively expensive, and…

RTDs have a strong presence in Latvia but due to its maturity volume sales have slowed in 2023. The lack of regular product innovations in this year, in what is usually a pretty vibrant category, has also contributed to flat volume growth. RTDs…