Beer drinks replace cocktails

In 2024, the alcoholic beverage market has undergone significant changes, opening up new opportunities for beer producers. The demand for alcoholic cocktails decreased by 27.6%, which was the most significant drop among all categories of alcohol. The main reason was an almost fourfold increase in excise taxes, which caused drinks to rise sharply in price, and consumers began to prefer more affordable alternatives. As a result, cocktail manufacturers are forced to reduce the production of these products or adapt to new conditions by adapting recipes for the production of beer drinks. In the fourth quarter of 2024, the volume of cocktail production decreased by 6.2 million dal (year on year), while the production of beer drinks, on the contrary, increased by 9.3 million dal. This trend continued in January 2025.

From May 1, 2024, the excise tax on cocktails with 7% alcohol content increased from 36 to 141 rubles per liter, while for beer drinks it remained at 26 rubles. This has led to a significant increase in the attractiveness of beer products and the strengthening of brewing companies’ positions in the market. Many consumers, faced with a sharp rise in the price of low-alcohol cocktails, began to prefer beer drinks.

Manufacturers quickly respond to market changes by adapting formulations and offering beer drinks with similar flavors, replacing cocktails with them. If a sought-after product that can withstand the pressure of excise taxes does not appear in the near future, the alcoholic cocktail format may disappear, which will create additional opportunities for the growth of the beer drinks segment.