Drinking less, drinking smarter: How the industry is responding to ever changing trends
For many, it feels rare to have a conversation about alcohol today without discussing moderation, no and low, and health and wellness. But how is the industry responding to these constantly changing demands? Sophie Arundel investigates at this year's Wine Paris. The post Drinking less, drinking smarter: How the industry is responding to ever changing trends appeared first on The Drinks Business.
For many, it feels rare to have a conversation about alcohol today without discussing moderation, no and low, and health and wellness. But how is the industry responding to these constantly changing demands? Sophie Arundel investigates at this year's Wine Paris.
One of the many wonders of walking around an international trade fair is the chance to hear the widest range of perspectives on the state of the market, and listening to how people and businesses are responding to the pressures. Some see only challenges, focusing on the doom and gloom of the current climate. Others take a more optimistic view, seeing changes and trends as an opportunity to innovate, adapt, and try something new.
First things first, the latest IWSR Bevtrac 2024 Wave 2 report confirms that consumer drinking habits are undergoing a significant shift, with moderation becoming a defining trend. Light drinkers, defined as those who drink infrequently and in small amounts, now make up the largest share of consumers across 15 key markets.
This trend was a hot topic at Wine Paris 2025, where industry leaders debated how evolving behaviours are shaping the future of the drinks sector. As highlighted during a geopolitical conference, younger legal drinking age (LDA+) consumers are drinking less than previous generations, often choosing to abstain altogether for periods of time. In India, for example, 71% of affluent urban drinkers reported taking breaks from alcohol, the highest rate among surveyed markets. The trend is also evident in South Africa, Mexico, and Brazil, where more than half of drinkers are temporarily abstaining, the IWSR data also confirms.
Miles Beale, chief executive of the WSTA, urged the industry to reconsider how it engages drinkers. “People are drinking less, but they’re drinking better. In the UK, alcohol consumption has fallen 20% over the last 20 years. That trend is unlikely to change.”
His advice? Keep it simple. “I love wandering around Wine Paris, but there are so many products where people talk in great detail about the winemaking process, the vineyard, the terroir. If you want younger consumers to drink as much wine and spirits in the future as past generations, you need to make it much easier for them.”
With shifting trade dynamics, emerging technology, and evolving consumer habits, the drinks industry faces challenges, but also opportunities. As Beale put it: “If we can apply some of our clever marketing minds to really simple messaging, the impact could be very big.”
One of the many wonders of walking around an international trade fair is the chance to hear the widest range of perspectives on the state of the market, and listening to how people and businesses are responding to the pressures. Some see only challenges, focusing on the doom and gloom of the current climate. Others take a more optimistic view, seeing changes and trends as an opportunity to innovate, adapt, and try something new.
First things first, the latest IWSR Bevtrac 2024 Wave 2 report confirms that consumer drinking habits are undergoing a significant shift, with moderation becoming a defining trend. Light drinkers, defined as those who drink infrequently and in small amounts, now make up the largest share of consumers across 15 key markets.
This trend was a hot topic at Wine Paris 2025, where industry leaders debated how evolving behaviours are shaping the future of the drinks sector. As highlighted during a geopolitical conference, younger legal drinking age (LDA+) consumers are drinking less than previous generations, often choosing to abstain altogether for periods of time. In India, for example, 71% of affluent urban drinkers reported taking breaks from alcohol, the highest rate among surveyed markets. The trend is also evident in South Africa, Mexico, and Brazil, where more than half of drinkers are temporarily abstaining, the IWSR data also confirms.
Miles Beale, chief executive of the WSTA, urged the industry to reconsider how it engages drinkers. “People are drinking less, but they’re drinking better. In the UK, alcohol consumption has fallen 20% over the last 20 years. That trend is unlikely to change.”
His advice? Keep it simple. “I love wandering around Wine Paris, but there are so many products where people talk in great detail about the winemaking process, the vineyard, the terroir. If you want younger consumers to drink as much wine and spirits in the future as past generations, you need to make it much easier for them.”
With shifting trade dynamics, emerging technology, and evolving consumer habits, the drinks industry faces challenges, but also opportunities. As Beale put it: “If we can apply some of our clever marketing minds to really simple messaging, the impact could be very big.”
