1 in 3 customers buys non-alcoholic beverages

Wednesday, January 31, 2024

It’s almost time for Tournée minérale, the moment when people give up alcohol for a month. However, that’s no longer the only time that non-alcoholic is popular. Currently, one in three customers at Colruyt Lowest Prices is already buying non-alcoholic alternatives, which is a spectacular increase compared with recent years. Belgians are clearly mindful of their approach to alcohol all year round. Colruyt is responding to this growing trend by offering customers a wide and inspiring range featuring no less than 100 different products.

Spectacular increase

The figures from Colruyt Lowest Prices show that the supermarket sells more non-alcoholic alternatives each year. Last year, the retailer noted that one in five customers occasionally purchased a non-alcoholic beverage. Meanwhile, that number has increased to one in three customers. On the other hand, a decline in the sales of alcoholic beverages can be seen. So, the non-alcoholic trend is rising sharply. Even so, the share is limited to around 5% of the total sales volume of alcoholic beverages and non-alcoholic alternatives combined. One thing’s for sure: Belgian people are becoming increasingly mindful of alcohol and their health.

More non-alcoholic at parties

In 2023, Colruyt sold almost twice as many non-alcoholic alternatives than before the corona pandemic. The increase is visible throughout the year, although the peaks are in the summer months and during the Christmas period. During the last festive season there were more non-alcoholic beverages on the party table than ever before: one in five customers bought a non-alcoholic alternative during the month of December. This is primarily a peak period for non-alcoholic wine, aperitifs and spirits, since one fifth of the volume of these beverages is sold in December. For the year end, non-alcoholic bubbles are also very popular: we drank 60% more non-alcoholic bubbles than in December 2022.

Beer in the lead

When Colruyt considers the figures across the entire year, then beer is a long way ahead. Non-alcoholic beers are the most popular drinks within the range of non-alcoholic beverages and their popularity continued growing last year: in fact, over 20% more non-alcoholic beer was sold in 2023 compared to the year before.

All non-alcoholic beverages have risen in volume, with the exception of cider, which has decreased slightly. Looking at the strongest growth products, these are certainly wines, of which both still and sparkling. No surprise, since the range has become broader and better quality.

108

At Colruyt Lowest Prices, customers can find a large and inspiring range of non-alcoholic alternatives of no less than 108 products. This comprises 27 non-alcoholic beers, 16 non-alcoholic wines, 21 non-alcoholic bubbles and 44 non-alcoholic aperitifs and spirits. In the coming months this range will also be further expanded.

To highlight the range, Colruyt Lowest Prices is organising a promotion on 78 references of non-alcoholic beverages with discounts of up to -25%.