Observing Patterns in Consumer Demand for Non-Alcoholic Drinks

Ahead of Sober October, Pattern evaluates when consumer demand is highest for non-alcoholic beverages. Key insights include:

• Sober October vs. Dry January — when is demand highest for non-alcoholic drinks?
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  • Non-alcoholic brands in highest demand
  • Types of non-alcoholic drinks in highest demand
• Key takeaways for ecommerce retailers

With Sober October fast approaching, our team decided to investigate when consumer demand is highest for non-alcoholic beverages throughout the year. Using search data gathered from U.S. Amazon shoppers from 2019 – 22, we discovered some interesting trends in consumer behavior as it relates to demand for non-alcoholic products.

Sober October vs. Dry January — When is Demand Highest for Non-Alcoholic Drinks?

While Sober October has been a long-held tradition in the U.S. since its introduction by Australian-founded nonprofit organization, Ocsober, in 2010, it appears most U.S. consumers prefer to do their detoxing after the holidays. According to our data, searches for non-alcoholic beverages experience an annual peak in January rather than October:    

The only year consumer demand increased during Sober October was 2020. This is likely because Sober October was celebrating its tenth year in the U.S. and had a larger than normal marketing push. Following this campaign, however, we can observe a 45% decline in demand during October year over year when comparing 2021 to 2020:

Non-Alcoholic Brands in Highest Demand

When it comes to non-alcoholic brands in highest demand, consumers have a clear preference. A whopping 42% of all searches for specific non-alcoholic brands in 2021 were for Seedlip. Kin Euphorics held 24% of all search queries while Ritual Zero Proof held 20% during the same year:

When observing the 2021 seasonal change in consumer demand for the three top non-alcoholic brands, we can further see Dry January’s influence on the marketplace. In January 2021, Seedlip saw a 95% increase in consumer demand while in October 2021, the brand saw a 34% decline:

Types of Non-Alcoholic Drinks in Highest Demand

Even though non-alcoholic beer and wine brands took up the rear in consumer demand, the opposite is true when looking at searches for general types of non-alcoholic beverages. When looking at consumer demand for non-alcoholic beer, wine, and spirits, searches for non-alcoholic wine took up 39% while non-alcoholic beer took up 35% in 2021:

Seasonal demand for non-alcoholic beer, wine, and spirits sees a sharp increase in January. Interestingly, non-alcoholic spirits see increased demand during the springtime. This could be because Sober Spring (a tradition started by Catherine Gray in 2018) occurs from March 20 – June 20 each year:

Key Takeaways for Non-Alcoholic Brands on Ecommerce

Non-alcoholic drink brands can gain a competitive edge from our data analysis. First, demand for non-alcoholic drinks tends to be highest during Dry January, so it’s important for ecommerce retailers to prepare for increased demand by coordinating effectively across their marketing, fulfillment/logistics, and customer relations departments. Since most consumers prefer non-alcoholic wine and beer to spirits, it’s wise for retailers to consider these preferences when placing orders.

‍Satisfying consumer demand starts with data. If you’d like to learn more about how our data can help empower your ecommerce strategy, contact us to request a demo from Pattern today.