A l’occasion du Whisky Live Paris, the largest whiskey and spirits tasting event in Europe which was held at the end of September, Ipsos and Whiskey Live Paris have made public the third edition of their barometer. If the consumption of spirits remains unchanged in volume despite the crisis, it has transformed into purchasing habits and sensitivities, particularly environmental.
Rum and whiskey remain the most popular spirits in the eyes of the French, three quarters of them having already purchased one in their life (78% rum and 74% whiskey). Over the last twelve months, They are thus the most purchased spirits (53% for rum and 52% for whiskey) and the most consumed (one in two French people have consumed rum and 45% whiskey). Rum thus confirms its rise and stands shoulder to shoulder with whiskey, alone in mind for a long time. For Didier Ghorbanzadeh, spirits expert at La Maison Du Whiskey, “we feel that spirits lovers at all levels are today looking for great diversity. If they started by exploring more exotic whiskey origins, particularly in Asia with Japan for example, the rum category has been providing increasingly convincing arguments for several years, especially in terms of quality and authenticity, which are also aimed at these consumers who are thirsty for something new. »
Anise aperitifs complete a contested podium
A podium that remains stable compared to 2019 : aniseed aperitifs come in third position (42% of French people have purchased them in the last twelve months). The brand tequila, as for her, strong growth in terms of purchasing : 20% of French spirits consumers say they have purchased them in the past year, an increase of six points compared to 2019 (and 10 points compared to 2018). This drink is particularly popular with a younger audience : 32% of 30-40 year olds have purchased them, i.e. 12 points more than in 2019. Young people are also much more open than their elders to the consumption of more diversified drinks.. We note in particular strong increases in the consumption of sake (+ 8 pts), you pisco (+ 7 pts) or even mezcal (+ 6 ps).
Emerging categories that appeal
The French are showing renewed interest in so-called “ready-to-drink” bottled alcoholic cocktails : their consumption has almost doubled in two years to reach 11%, compared to only 6% in 2019. This proposal particularly appeals to young people : 22% are already buying them, compared to 18% of 41-60 year olds, and 37% are interested in this product, compared to 19% of their elders. 30-40 year olds are also moving towards other new drinks, in emerging categories addressed to them. Hard seltzer, an alcoholic drink composed of fruit-flavored sparkling water which remains unknown to the general population, illustrates this point : it is much less confidential among young people, 33% of whom know it, compared to 21% of the population overall.
The criteria favored by the French
No matter the generation, taste remains a determining purchasing factor, and often constitutes the first barrier to purchase (for 56% of French people). Among the most divisive alcohols in terms of taste, we find aniseed alcohols, whiskey or gin. Consumer choice is, however, primarily motivated by price. (decisive choice criterion for 86% of consumers). But other factors are taken into account, in particular the eco-responsible dimension of the products. Among the oldest (over 40 years old), new criteria become decisive, like the quality, the origin, the origin or the manufacturing process. The place of production is, for example, one of the most important criteria., for the French (69 %), and even more for seniors (75% of 50-60 year olds).
Purchasing habits between specialized channel and power of the internet
If large and medium-sized stores remain the preferred purchasing channel (77% of respondents go there first, down 4 points compared to 2019), specialized stores are a preferred place for 26% of buyers. Four out of 10 French people also consider themselves more sensitive to this specialized circuit since the start of the health crisis (while 37% consider giving it less importance). In addition, potential consequence of the crisis, the study reveals an emergence of the use of the internet for the purchase of spirits (19 %, compared to 14% in 2019), particularly important among 30-40 year olds, 28% of whom prefer this purchasing path (compared to 17% in 2019).
The Internet is also a preferred channel for searching for information. : 34% of young people refer to it for information (compared to 26% in 2019). Overall, the surroundings (44 %) and consumption experiences (44 %) however, remain the preferred sources of information, internet coming in third position (26 %).
The health crisis has an impact on places of consumption
Globally, the health crisis has had little impact on the consumption of spirits, two thirds of the sample believing that their level of consumption has remained unchanged (68 %). The periods of confinement and curfew are responsible for the increase in the consumption of flavored ready-to-drink drinks. This progression is particularly marked among seniors, 10% of whom consume it compared to 5% in 2019. Finally, logically, spirits were consumed less in the context of home invitations (63 %, compared to 70% in 2019), but more alone or with family (55% versus 51%). For Pierre-Antoine Lacroix (Ipsos, “since the health crisis, the French attach increasing importance to the specificities linked to production, them as the conditions of production or even respect for local populations. We find it in the study. Crisis obliges, at the same time, they have a greater consideration of questions of quality/price ratio and promotions. Nearly two thirds of buyers believe they attach more importance to this criterion in the current context”.
Study conducted online by Ipsos from July 21 to 27, 2021 among 600 French people aged 30 to 60 and spirits buyers, according to representativeness criteria.
