Summer Grocery Trends to Watch In 2023
As BBQ season ramps up, look for a slew of new beverage and tableware options on the picnic table along with the usual summer food standbys. Here are three categories to watch, based on insights from Catalina’s Shopper Intelligence Platform, which identifies audiences and measures purchase behavior in real time:
Pre-mixed cocktails shake up summer sipping
In picnic coolers across the U.S., expect pre-mixed cocktails to crowd out mainstream beer and wine this summer. Hosts can now conveniently offer a wide variety of flavors and styles — from the classic margarita to fruit-infused vodka spritzes — that are typically more affordable than buying individual ingredients and lower in calories and sugar than many other alcoholic beverages.
At 51%, Liqueurs were the most popular base ingredient in the Pre-mixed Cocktails category, followed by Beer (+46%) Gin (+43%), Tequila (+42%), and Vodka (+30%).
Overall, the Pre-mixed Cocktails category is expected to grow by +11% YOY in 20231 and is becoming increasingly competitive, with major players driving innovation to differentiate themselves. Catalina data shows significant growth of Pre-Mixed Cocktails (+29%) and Wine Coolers (+22%), followed by Non-alcoholic Beer (+11), which showed more modest gains. The popularity of these categories are coming at the expense of Hard Seltzers (-15%), Domestic Wine (-5%) and mainstream Beer (-3%), although consumption of Beer Cocktails (e.g., shandies, ginger beers, etc.) and Non-alcoholic Beer is on the rise, up 46% and 11% versus year ago.
Sustainable tableware loses luster
Unit sales of Sustainable Bowls & Plates (-15%) and Cutlery (-32%) took a deep dive last year as impact studies continue to report sustainable plastic tableware products don’t fully break down in landfill.2 The convenience of Sustainable Cups creates the exception, with a modest category increase of +6% YOY. Plastic Cutlery (-1%) and Paper/Plastic/Styrofoam Bowls & Plates (-1%) both remain even from last year.
Industry reports say hosts are beginning to turn to melamine tableware as a value-driven sustainable alternative. The size of the US market is expected to grow to $1.3 billion by 2030 with a CAGR of +8%.3 When comparing costs, a set of basic melamine plates costs about $10 while disposable plates cost $5 — so hosts who use them more than twice can save money and help the environment.
Catalina can provide 1:1 purchase insights on nearly all U.S. households 2X faster than other data providers. Understanding shopping behavior in real time helps us intelligently and dynamically deliver the right message across the right media most efficiently. If you’re looking to maximize product engagement and incremental sales, then contact us today.
1 Technavio, January 2023
2 Frontiers in Sustainability, November 2022
3 Melamine Tableware Market Insights Report 2023-2030, April 2023
Unit Sales of Pre-Mixed Cocktails by Base Ingredient (vs. Year Ago)
- Liqueur (+51%)
- Beer (+46%)
- Gin (+43%)
- Tequila (+42%)
- Vodka (+30%)
Source: Catalina Shopper Intelligence Platform, Unit Sales May 2023 vs. same period YAGO
2023 Alcoholic Beverage Trends (Based on unit sales vs. year ago)
- Pre-Mixed Cocktails (+29%)
- Wine Coolers (+22%)
- Non-alcoholic Beer (+11%)
- Domestic Beer (-3%)
- Domestic Wine (-5%)
- Hard Seltzer (-15%)
Source: Catalina Shopper Intelligence Platform, Unit Sales May 2023 vs. same period
2023 Sustainable Tableware Trends Based on unit sales (Based on unit sales vs. year ago)
- Sustainable Cups (+6%)
- Plastic Cutlery (-1%)
- Paper/Plastic/Styrofoam Bowls & Plates (-1%)
- Sustainable Bowls & Plates (-15%)
- Sustainable Cutlery (-32%)
Source: Catalina Shopper Intelligence Platform, Unit Sales May 2023 vs. same period