The Festive Drinks Trends this Season

This year is moving at hyper-speed and Christmas is fast approaching and you know what that means, a single malt whisky by the fire or extravagant gin advent calendars as festive drinks return.

Verallia services a significant proportion of the prestige spirits sector, developing unique bottles, and after years of experience, they have analysed the data of the top performing products during the festive period and what they predict to be the biggest trends this Christmas in the drinks sector.

Gin, Gin and More Gin

Unless you have been living under a rock for the past few years, then you will know that Gin is a major trend in the industry and this year is no exception. The difference this year though is that they are getting bolder, brighter and adding more flavours to their collection.

For example, the M&S snow globe gin which sold out last year is back in stock again, but this time with an expanded range, and a larger 1 ½ litre bottle option that even includes a music box. The Verallia team expects that these latest editions of festive drinks will be flying off the shelves this Christmas.

All Wrapped Up

Spirits giftsets have always been a favourite this time of year, but the focus now is very much being driven by the aesthetic of the bottle. When choosing gifts, consumers are wanting to gift the most beautiful, designed bottle that the recipient will cherish.

Some standout performers last year were Manchester Gin, who sold a huge proportion of their award-winning gins. Another notable player in 2020 was The Lakes Gin, by the Lakes Distillery with the uniquely embossed bottle.

For this Christmas, exceptionally designed spirits are expected to perform strongly again.  One of the brands Verallia expects to perform well is Shivering Mountain, whose award winning bottle design, emanating in the Peak District is completely unique, making it the perfect choice for any avid gin collector.

Counting down to Christmas

Leading on from the gifting section is miniatures. Miniatures are often featured within spirits giftsets, enabling consumers to try multiple spirits, rather than just one bottle. However, what is really driving this area is the growth of spirit advent calendars. Once upon a time, advents were a simple picture behind each door, now they can encompass tiny tipples, meaning there is a significant uptake in demand for miniature bottles.

And it won’t just be advent calendars this season, there is going to be an increased demand for festive spirit baubles, that are the perfect stocking filler.

No/Low Alcohol

Whilst for some it may be the booziest time of year, over the past year there has been a rise of the health-conscious consumer, brands launching no/low alcohol alternative drinks to the market to cater for this growing market. According to ISWR, the no/low market segment is expected to grow 34% by 2024.

This new wellness trend is expected to continue to grow over the festive period, as the home consumption market remains a major market, by catering for those who want to avoid the Christmas day hangover.

Consumers are looking to indulge in more premium spirits and treat those around them. Carrying on from the strong growth earlier on in the year, this spirits market is expected to show strong performance over the Christmas period too.

If you are a specialist spirits brand in need of exceptional glass packaging, then speak to one of our experts today.