Beverage Alcohol Volumes Dip Worldwide While Value Holds Steady

Total beverage alcohol consumption volume fell by 1% in the first half of 2025 compared to the same period last year, according to new data from IWSR, a leading global beverage alcohol market analyst. Despite this decline in volume, the overall value of beverage alcohol sales remained steady across twenty key markets, which together represent about three-quarters of global consumption. The data excludes national spirits such as baijiu in China and shochu in Japan.

The report highlights significant differences between markets. India saw the strongest growth, with total beverage alcohol volume rising by 7% in the first half of 2025. Growth was even higher in premium and above price categories, reaching 8%. Other countries with positive volume growth included South Africa (up 4%), Mexico (up 2%), Thailand (up 1%), and Colombia (up 1%). These gains were offset by declines in major markets such as China (down 2%), the United States (down 4%), and Germany (down 5%).

Ready-to-drink beverages (RTDs) continued to outperform most other categories, driven by consumer demand for convenience, new flavors, and affordable prices. RTD volumes grew by 3% across the twenty markets. Brazil led with a 10% increase, followed by South Africa at 9% and India at 11%.

Spirits volumes overall dropped by 2%, largely due to steep declines in national spirits. When these are excluded, spirits volumes actually rose by 1%. Indian whiskey was a standout performer, growing by 7%, mostly due to domestic demand. Bitters and spirit aperitifs increased by 3%. No-alcohol spirits also saw notable growth, up 9% from a small base, with Germany and the US posting increases of 15% and 19%, respectively.

Irish whiskey volumes grew by 2%, but this was mainly outside its largest market. In the US, Irish whiskey declined by 1%, while it rose sharply in the UK (up 8%), India (up 23%), and Japan (up 27%). Agave-based spirits continued their upward trend with a modest increase of 1%, concentrated in higher-end price segments.

Beer volumes declined by 1% overall, with premium and above brands falling by 2%. The US was a major contributor to this downturn. However, some markets bucked the trend: India’s beer market grew by 7%, South Africa’s by 6%, Mexico’s by 2%, and Thailand’s by 2%.

Wine consumption continued its downward trajectory, dropping by 5% in volume during the first half of the year. Prosecco was an exception within the wine category, showing strong performance in several countries. France saw an increase of 11%, the US rose by 2%, and Australia grew by 6%. Prosecco’s popularity is attributed to its affordability and its association with aperitivo culture.

Emily Neill, IWSR’s Chief Operating Officer of Research, commented on the findings: “The current beverage alcohol landscape shows significant polarization. RTDs are growing, but beer is softening. Spirits are resilient overall, but the fortunes of different subcategories vary significantly. Apart from Prosecco, wine is shrinking.” She also noted that despite ongoing volume pressures in China and the US, there are clear areas of growth in Mexico, South Africa, and especially India. IWSR now forecasts that India’s total beverage alcohol volume will surpass Japan’s in 2027 and Germany’s in 2033.

IWSR has been providing market intelligence for over fifty years to leaders across the global beverage alcohol industry. Their research combines proprietary data, consumer insights, AI-driven analysis, and local expertise across more than 160 markets worldwide.

The latest data update covers Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Colombia, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Mexico, the Netherlands, the Philippines, Poland, Russia, South Africa, Spain, Thailand, the UK and the US.