Non-alcoholic beverages – including beer, wine, and gin – have grown in popularity following the three Covid-19 booze bans over the past year.
South Africans were hesitant to switch out alcoholic beverages for non-alcoholic beverages prior to the bans – but this is now changing.
The shift can be seen in a report from alcohol beverage data and analysis company IWSR, which found that South Africa is expected to see a double-digit rise in no/low alcohol beverages over the next few years.
Growing taste
“South Africa is expected to experience the highest compound annual growth rate (CAGR) volume rate (2020 to 2024), at approximately +16%, albeit from a low base,” according to the IWSR No- and Low-Alcohol Strategic Study 2021.
This rise is a turnaround from what was once a prevailing negative attitude to no/low alcohol beverages, especially regarding wine. The VinIntell November 2018 issue, for instance, noted that there were quality issues around non-alcohol wines, which consumers were not prepared to shrug off. “Consumers are saying had they wanted a low- or no-alcohol wine they would have bought fruit juice,” it noted.
Global shift
SA is not the only country moving to no/low alcohol beverages.....read more
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First published in Moneyweb b23 Apr 2021