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CGA’s On Premise consumer insights help suppliers, brands, and venues track trends and identify opportunities for growth and innovation. Currently, 16% of Italians drink gin when out, slightly below the global average of 19%. This indicates room for growth when compared to other popular drinks in Italy—such as aperitifs (42%) and Amari (34%)—but shows that gin is still ahead of other spirits like rum (14%) and whiskey (12%).
Who are the gin drinkers and what is important to them?
When it comes to ordering gin, brand reputation is a significant factor for nearly half of consumers, with 49% considering it crucial. This is followed by the overall quality of the serve, which influences 34% of gin enthusiasts. In terms of gin types, 58% of consumers opt for classic options, while flavoured gins are preferred by 52%. Among flavoured gins, lemon leads as the most favoured taste at 28%, followed by lime (23%), orange (20%), and grapefruit (17%). British gin brands collectively hold a strong position in the market, reflecting their widespread consumer appeal.
New Avenues to unlock gin’s potential
Gin faces stiff competition from entrenched categories like aperitifs in Italy, particularly in the popular aperitivo culture. However, with 47% of gin drinkers visiting night bars at least once a quarter and 22% attending discotecas, there is clear evidence of consumer interest in gin, particularly in high-tempo, late-night venues.
But to truly unlock the potential of gin in Italy, brands must expand their appeal beyond night bars. Far more gin drinkers frequent pizzerias (78%) and restaurants (73%), offering a chance to reposition gin for relaxed, food-led occasions. This represents an opportunity for brands to engage with consumers in lower-tempo environments like dining out and social aperitivos.
Serve Innovation for greater relevance
Gin is also prominent among Italy’s favourite cocktails, ranking fourth behind the Aperol Spritz, Mojito, and Campari Spritz. To capture this opportunity, serve innovation is critical. Brands should focus on creating cocktails that fit seamlessly into Italy’s dining and aperitivo culture, positioning gin-based drinks—like gin and tonic—as appealing alternatives to Aperol or Campari Spritz. While high-tempo occasions remain important, there’s clear potential to reach the 61% of gin drinkers who enjoy aperitifs and the 47% who prefer relaxed or quiet outings.
Innovation in serve and creating gin-based cocktails that resonate with consumers who are out for relaxed drinks, can help attract more drinkers to gin. Positioning gin as a drink option before or during food—especially in pizzerias, where there is a clear potential for increased drinks sales—is another route to growth.
Engaging Bartenders and Venues to Promote Gin
With 25% of gin consumers citing bartender recommendations as a crucial factor in their gin choices, it’s clear that bartenders wield significant influence in shaping drink preferences. CGA by NIQ’s Italy Bartender Report highlights the influence of bartender recommendations, especially in venues where gin isn’t traditionally a top choice.
By working directly with bars and training staff on creative ways to serve gin, brands can increase visibility and boost sales. Bartenders are a valuable resource in shifting consumer preferences, especially when they offer personalized gin-based suggestions, such as innovative gin and tonic pairings or unique aperitivo-style serves.
Luca Gerosa, Sales Industry Leader – Italy said: “Gin faces some unique challenges in Italy’s competitive On Premise, where other drinks are entrenched in the aperitivo, relaxed and with-food occasions. But this is a great moment to rethink how gin is positioned, and to move beyond the core channels of late-night bars and discotecas to tap into unmet consumer demand. Using consumer insights to tailor marketing strategies and innovate serves can help to increase awareness and expand the distribution of gin to venues that aren’t always associated with the category. By understanding exactly where, when and why Italian consumers drink gin, suppliers can fine-tune their messaging, promotions and partnerships to make it a compelling option for both consumers and venues.”
Luca Gerosa
CGA by NIQ’s On Premise solutions provide valuable insights for drinks suppliers, brands and venues, facilitating targeted distribution lists, tailored sales stories and activation approaches that capitalize on market trends and consumer preferences. For beverage brands, understanding and leveraging these insights can unlock significant new sales opportunities in multiple channels.
To learn more and unlock success for your gin brand, contact the CGA by NIQ team.
