Here are five key trends to watch in 2023.
1 Prioritisation of the On Premise
Looking forward, many consumers will continue to prioritise On Premise visits by spending the same (64%) or more (14%) in bars and restaurants; activity which remains consistent with previous habits over the past 3 months. Whilst the impact of cost of living increases, it demonstrates the value consumers place on the channel. CGA’s new Cost of Living Report examines how consumers are prioritizing visits among other spending avenues, and highlights what is most important in their decisions that offer the best value proposition for them, as price increases start to influence their decision making.
2 Drinks choice change with the seasons
Nearly half of consumers (46%) will continue to try seasonal offerings from brands when out visiting bars and restaurants. This over-indexes for younger consumers (62%), the segment who are also expecting to see venues changing their menus (55%) over seasons the most compared to other demographic groups – demonstrating a key cohort for brands to target as their seasonal drink preferences change throughout the year.
3 Promotions attracting younger consumers
Promotions are a useful vehicle to engage new consumers with brands in the On Premise. Over a third (38%) of consumers have taken part in promotions in bars and restaurants over the past 3 months, and this figure increases to 57% for younger consumers (19–34-year-olds) – the most receptive to promotions and more experimental with their drink’s choices.
4 The On Premise encourages drinks trial in the Off Premise
Promotions and seasonal offerings are a great way to engage and recruit new consumers to brands and categories in the On Premise. For over a third (33%) of consumers, trying a drink due to promotional activity has led to further consumption, both in the On Premise and influences Off Premise purchasing. Seasonal offerings also play a significant role in leveraging consumer purchasing behaviours by encouraging trial and experimentation in bars and restaurants.
5 Cocktails continue to flourish
Cocktail drinkers are a valuable consumer group to target with frequent visitation levels and higher monthly spend. These drinkers are experimental and also consume a wide range of categories, meaning creating an effective strategy for cocktail optimization to suit consumers preferences will drive trial of new brands as well as build rapport among trusted brands. A growing shift in cocktail consumption signifies opportunities on both food and drink-led occasions.
Younger cocktail drinks (29%) are also much more likely to consume cocktails at drink-led occasions, while older drinkers (50%) lean more towards food-led occasions. There are significant opportunities to target cocktail drinkers in the On Premise, as they over-index on visitation to all channels compared to the average consumer.
CGA’s unrivalled OPUS consumer research reveals the different types of discounts, promotions and channels consumers are most likely to take part in. It helps drinks suppliers track On Premise trends, support operators with channel strategies and unlock new sales opportunities across all drinks categories and channels.
New to the Canadian market, CGA’s OPUS also explores specific mixer types with spirits, drilling into brands and what category drinkers prefer the most when consuming their favourite drinks.
To learn more about optimising On Premise channel strategies contact Mitch Stefani, CGA Client Solutions Manager – Americas at Mitch.Stefani@cgastrategy.com
