Somewhere between 7,000 and 6,600 BCE, humans made wine. And the rest, as they say, is history.
As noted by the Penn Museum, chemical analysis has confirmed that a Neolithic group living in the Yellow River Valley produced a fermented drink combining rice, honey, and hawthorn fruit or grapes. Beer came later, appearing in Sumer around 4,000 BCE, according to Medium.
Today, alcohol is available just about everywhere, and in every form imaginable. Wine, beer, and spirits are sold worldwide, with different countries, states, and even cities claiming unique combinations as their own.
This isn’t to say the market is monolithic, however. Data from Statista shows that Gen Zers drink less alcohol than previous generations, while millennials drink the most.
Overall, baby boomers are similar to Gen Zers, but the specifics of their drinking habits differ. Where 16% of Generation Z respondents say they regularly drink hard seltzer, just 4% of boomers say the same. For Gen Zers, wine tops the list, while boomers prefer beer.
This creates a challenge for ecommerce brands. How do they effectively navigate new alcohol ecommerce trends and embrace changes in consumer shopping behavior without alienating their base of in-store shoppers?
In this piece, we’re taking a booze cruise. First, we’ll look at where the market is headed. Next, we’ll see what’s changed over decades and generations. Finally, we’ll explore how brands can take these beverage consumer insights to build a robust booze business.
While liquor stores aren’t perfectly recession-proof, they were one of the few business types that remained open during the height of COVID in most countries. As a result, it’s no surprise that the alcohol market is generally stable, especially over the long term.
This isn’t to say, however, that the industry doesn’t evolve. Here are three trends brands need to know about.
Data from Research and Markets indicates a 2.1% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) in the U.S. alcohol market from 2025–2030. A report from Lumina Intelligence, meanwhile, found that the U.K. market is on track for 1.9% growth through 2028.
As noted by IWSR, however, consumption is falling. In 2025, total alcohol consumption in the U.S. fell by 5%. The result is a market that remains largely stable but isn’t exactly blowing the doors off.
There's one segment of the alcohol market that’s enjoying solid growth: non-alcoholic beverages. While the concept may seem counterintuitive, the culture is growing.
IWSR reports that the non-alcoholic beer category saw a 15% volume increase last year, while Datassential found that 51% of consumers are interested in low-alcohol cocktails and 58% are interested in non-alcoholic functional drinks.
The result is a marketing and sales opportunity for brands — if they can create alcohol-adjacent spirits or beer, they can tap into the growing sober and sober-curious movement.
Craft beer continues to enjoy pride of place on store shelves. Grandview Research predicts a $100 billion market for craft beer in 2026, with North America accounting for 39.2% of the global market. Popular craft beer categories include India Pale Ales (IPAs), New England IPAs (NEIPAs), lagers, and Pilsners.
As noted by the Brewers Association, however, the craft beer market is undergoing a correction. After several years of rapid brewer and taproom growth, production was down 4% in 2025. New brewery openings dropped as well, from 518 in 2024 to 300 in 2025.
With many breweries now offering low- and non-alcoholic options in-store and online, brands can expect this correction to be slight rather than significant.
Every decade comes with a different drink that climbs to the top bar and restaurant menus.
According to Vogue, the 1920s saw the martini make waves thanks to illegal gin manufacturing during U.S. prohibition. Post-war Americans loved a Manhattan, while the star of the 1970s was the tequila sunrise. Today, drinks like the Old Fashioned are making a comeback, while newer entries like the espresso martini are holding strong.
Alcohol buying habits also change by generation and location. As noted by Salsify’s “2026 Consumer Research” report, 49% of U.K. shoppers say they have purchased alcohol online in the last year, compared to just 29% of Americans and Canadians. When it comes to food and beverage buying, Gen Zers top the list, followed by millennials. Not surprisingly, baby boomers tend to prefer in-person shopping.
It’s also interesting to note that Generation Z appears to be shifting from fully sober to more selective. The Lumina Intelligence report says that many young adults now drink “often or sometimes,” but prioritize brand and quality over alcohol volume.
In fact, Salsify found that 81% of Generation Z and 64% of Generation X will pay more for a product if they trust the brand, compared to just 48% of boomers.
It’s also interesting to note that Generation Z appears to be shifting from fully sober to more selective. The Lumina Intelligence report says that many young adults now drink “often or sometimes,” but prioritize brand and quality over alcohol volume.
In fact, Salsify found that 81% of Generation Z and 64% of Generation X will pay more for a product if they trust the brand, compared to just 48% of boomers.
Physical liquor stores aren’t going anywhere. Consumers are happy to visit their local libations supplier and get the spirits, wine, beer, or non-alcoholic drinks they prefer.
Discovery and purchasing, however, have made the move online. Buyers may see ads for craft beer companies, mocktail makers, or adaptogen drink sellers (beverages infused with extracts, herbs, and/or medicinal mushrooms) on their social media feeds, in their email inboxes, and as banner ads on popular sites.
The result is a multi-modal market that requires a new competitive approach. Here are three ways for brands to keep current customers and bring in new buyers.
Product detail pages (PDPs) are the showcase for beverage offerings. In fact, 61% of customers say that product images and videos are the most important product page elements for completing a purchase, according to Salsify research.
But this just gets your foot in the door. Consider that 51% of buyers point to product titles and descriptions as the biggest decision-making factors, and it’s clear that companies can’t just show — they also need to tell.
When it comes to alcohol and alcohol-adjacent beverages, this means providing total transparency in terms of ingredients and the production process. It’s also worth creating clear and searchable metadata frameworks that allow consumers to discover beverages by type, ingredient, and price point.
If consumers don’t trust your brand, they won’t buy your booze. But what does trust look like?
Salsify found that 67% of buyers prioritized product quality and value, while 63% said brand reputation had the biggest impact on trust. Luckily for brands, these factors are inherently connected. Creating high-quality products with transparent pricing policies naturally improves brand reputation.
Where this often gets challenging is when brands see measurable success. In an effort to reduce costs, companies may choose alternative ingredient providers or producers, which can impact the quality and consistency of the product.
Think of it like this: While consumer trust is incredibly valuable, it’s also fragile. Lose the plot on quality or value and trust shatters. Putting it back together is no easy task.
Online purchasing has closed the gap on physical storefronts. Salsify’s consumer research shows that while 69% of customers still shop in-store, 68% use online marketplaces like Amazon.
While fewer use retail websites (35%), brand sites (29%), and social media shops (22%), these touchpoints are often used for product discovery and research. Once customers have enough information, they make the move to trusted marketplaces or local storefronts to complete their purchase.
For beverage brands and ecommerce stores, this speaks to the need for an omnichannel grocery strategy that’s clear and consistent across all potential discovery points. Brands also need to consider that discovery may not happen as expected.
Buyers in-store may spot new products, while those on marketplaces may see “similar to” recommendations, and those using digital apps may explore “what’s new” pages to see what their favorite brands have just released.
The lesson is simple, if not easy: No touchpoint is more or less important than any other. Discovery channels that drive fewer sales may seem like a safe place to ease up, but poor product placement and marketing anywhere in the marketing funnel can negatively impact customers’ perception of brand value and quality.
While booze remains a safe bet for brands, it’s not a guaranteed success. Older business models that depend on big brand beer sales may struggle to right the ship as younger generations opt for low-alcohol or no-alcohol alternatives that are made with top-tier ingredients.
Rather than fighting the tide, ecommerce companies are better served by going with the flow — creating transparent, omnichannel strategies that make it easy for buyers to tap into alcohol and alternative beverage options on demand.