The early evening is establishing itself as a key consumption occasion around the world, as consumers embrace its lower-energy, informal nature and the lure of refreshing, lower-ABV drinks such as the spritz.
Happy hours and casual meet-ups for pre-dinner drinks are increasingly popular in a number of international markets, including the US, the UK, Germany and Spain, according to IWSR.
This is creating opportunities for a number of drinks categories, from spirit aperitifs to prosecco and premium-plus light aperitifs. It is also a factor in the continued, and increasingly widespread, success of agave-based spirits.
“Alcohol consumption is occasion-driven, and while many drinkers are shunning the after-dinner moment, indicated by falling fortified wine and cognac sales, results suggest that the pre-dinner drink remains in vogue,” says IWSR‘s COO research & operations, Emily Neill.
“The spritz, a popular serve at this time of day, has experienced a boost. Not only has this helped brands that are used in the spritz, it has also helped the sparkling wines used as a base, notably prosecco.
“Meanwhile, premium-plus light aperitifs have been making headway in a number of the top 20 markets, while the continued rise in agave sales can also in part be credited to the use of agave-based spirits in a number of early evening cocktails, such as the paloma and the margarita.”
The US – On the lighter side
Spirits-based aperitifs are continuing to grow in the US on the back of the rising influence of low-key consumption occasions such as early-evening happy hours and aperitivo, which in turn tap into the burgeoning lower-ABV cocktail movement.
Prosecco is also surfing this wave, whether consumed on its own as a lower-cost, more casual alternative to champagne, or used as the base ingredient in the increasingly popular spritz serve.
“Prosecco continues to be the driving force of the sparkling wine market in the US, breaking its own volume records year on year,” says Neill. “The relatively recent creation of rosé prosecco, which now accounts for one-tenth of production, has also helped to keep consumers engaged.”
According to IWSR data, Italian sparkling wine volumes in the US grew at a CAGR of 5% between 2018 and 2023, and are set to expand at a CAGR of 4% between 2023 and 2028.
Some of prosecco’s growth, however, has likely been driven by economic moderation: in more austere times, its attractive price point will have lured some consumers to trade down from champagne.
Meanwhile, volumes of premium-priced bitters/spirit aperitifs have surged in the US, with CAGR growth of 18% between 2018 and 2023. This momentum is expected to accelerate in the years ahead, with 19% CAGR growth forecast for 2023-28 according to IWSR forecasts as of 15 May. *
“Another growth area in the US – and in a number of top 20 markets – is that of premium-plus light aperitifs, which are ideally suited to low-key, spontaneous, early-evening drinking occasions,” says Neill.
“With a typical ABV of between 15% and 22%, they can be served over ice with a slice of orange or lemon, but owe much of their success to their versatility – consumed in a spritz with soda water or in a number of cocktails, including the white Negroni and the Vesper.
“In the social media age, these drinks – like the mainstream spritz and rosé Prosecco – deliver aesthetically because of their enticing colour and photogenic attributes.”
Premium light aperitifs increased their volumes at a CAGR of 4% between 2018 and 2023 in the US, with growth expected to moderate in the coming years; super-premium volumes, however, grew at a CAGR of 7% between 2018 and 2023 – and are expected to rise at a CAGR of 3% to 2028 *.
Spain – Less but better
In Spain, there has been a notable gear change from higher-intensity night-time experiences to lower-tempo daytime and evening get-togethers: consumers are increasingly swapping out spirits for beer, wine, tinto de verano (a refreshing red wine-based cocktail) and spritzes.
As a result, bitters/spirit aperitifs saw their volumes expand at a CAGR of 8% between 2018 and 2023, with further growth expected to 2028, at a CAGR of 5% *.
“The Spanish market is increasingly driven by afternoon and evening moments and occasions, such as the aperitivo, sobremesa [post-meal relaxation], after-work and tardeo [late afternoon/early evening], all of which are conducive to a ‘less but better’ attitude that in turn drives premiumisation across all major categories,” explains Neill.
“It is important not to underestimate the significance of this shift, particularly for a spirits market that, for the past two decades, had been built on the back of explosive night-time drinking.”
Germany – Evolution of the spritz
Germany is the world’s largest sparkling wine market, where prosecco has succeeded in creating new drinking occasions, particularly via the spritz trend, which has in turn taken spirit aperitif volumes to a new high.
Bitters/spirit aperitifs expanded at a CAGR of 3% between 2018 and 2023, according to IWSR data; however, premium-priced products enjoyed explosive growth, rising at a CAGR of 12% over the same timescale.
“Spirit aperitifs will gain momentum across all price bands, as the underlying trend towards lighter drinking remains strong,” says Neill. “However, growth will decelerate as the category faces increasing competition from wine-based aperitifs, liqueurs and RTDs.”
Between 2023 and 2028, the CAGR for spirits-based aperitifs is predicted to be essentially flat, including for premium products *.
This reflects the fact that the spritz is evolving to create opportunities for other categories in Germany, including liqueurs and, in particular, limoncello. “The spritz serve momentum will benefit limoncello volume growth, with its repositioning as an aperitif that suits the drinking occasion,” adds Neill.
“In turn, limoncello has opened the door for liqueurs to join the aperitif trend, and liqueur ranges and ‘other liqueurs’ are forecast to gain volumes as consumers explore different flavours.”
The UK – From shots to sophistication
In the UK, a gradual move away from late-night, high-tempo shot consumption to more relaxed early-evening drinking has benefitted the more sophisticated aperitif occasion, underpinned by the perennial popularity of cocktails.
“This has driven further growth in liqueurs, as well as spirit aperitifs,” reports Emily Neill. “The spritz occasion chimes with lighter, all-day drinking occasions, and this has been the principal driver for the expansion of the sparkling wine category, which crucially is no longer confined to celebrations or special events.”
IWSR data shows that volumes of bitters/spirit aperitifs grew at a CAGR of 5% between 2018 and 2023, while liqueurs rose at a CAGR of 4% over the same timescale.
* Forecasts correct as of 15 May 2025. Updated IWSR forecasts will be released on 22 May and projected CAGR may change.
