IRI
Digging into the non-alcoholic numbers Antonia Tolich, Consultant at IRI, discusses growth trends of different segments within Australia’s non-alcoholic beverage market.
26 | National Liquor News
We’ve seen more and more Aussies embrace no and
+$32.5M vs YA with the majority of sales driven by
low alcohol products over recent years as consumers
liquor channels (70 per cent share).
look to moderate their alcohol consumption. The
Heineken is still the number one brand for total sales,
non-alcoholic category continues to evolve, now
delivering $23.7M (latest MAT) and seeing growth +16
valued at $141.2M and seeing growth +66 per cent
per cent vs YA, but with the recent innovations in 2021,
vs YA, growing well above the total liquor category
Great Northern Zero has overtaken in terms of actual
and showing no sign of slowing down as more brands
growth, delivering $18.2M growth for the category this
enter the category.
year. We’ve also seen the rise of smaller breweries who
While non-alcoholic beer has been around in
are innovating in this space, for example with the likes of
the market for some time, the largest recent growth
Heaps Normal and Athletic Brewing Co, which are seeing
driver is innovation across the board, with new
success after building up social media followings for their
products developing to meet the growing needs of
non-alcoholic products within the craft beer space.
consumers looking for lower ABV, lower sugar and
Interestingly we haven’t seen the same momentum
lower calorie options. The overall market is still small
from cider, being the only non-alcoholic category to see
with lower household penetration, but recent trends
decline, dropping nine per cent (value) vs YA. There is
show that post-COVID shoppers are looking to cut
a need for innovation and large brands to rupture the
down on their alcohol consumption with household
segment and drive growth, which we have seen from
penetration of liquor dropping -2.4 per cent vs YA
other segments, with cider only holding two per cent
(Liquor Weighted, MAT to 27/3/22).
share of the total non-alcoholic category. Kopparberg
Beer has been the key category standout holding
is the lead brand in the segment for sales, delivering
the lion share within the total non-alcoholic category,
$1.2M across grocery and liquor, but it’s starting to see
with nearly 72 per cent share. Total non-alcoholic
decline. While the cider market is more mature than
beer is now valued at $89.3M and showing no signs
other segments, it will be interesting to keep an eye on
of slowing down, seeing incremental growth of
whether the category is able to innovate to grow.
