Hard seltzers are huge in the U.S.: The reason why they haven’t taken off outside of America

Hard seltzers are big business in the US drinks market, with more and more consumers opting for refreshing alcoholic beverages that are lower in calories as a healthier alternative to beer, cocktails and wine.

Marketed as gluten-free, low-carb with relatively low alcohol content (ABV), hard seltzers are aimed at those who want to maintain a healthy lifestyle but can’t quite bring themselves to give up alcohol altogether.

The Hard Seltzer craze started in 2019

There are more hard seltzer brands available than ever before: White Claw, Truly, Mamitas, Lone River Ranch, SUNNYD, Vizzy... are among the most popular in the United States, where the market for these carbonated fruit drinks rose 16 percent over the past 12 months.

But the trend hasn’t taken off over on the other side of the Atlantic, where many hard seltzer brands were hoping to get a foothold.

British supermarket chains Asda and Tesco started stocking Balans Aqua Spritz on their shelves in 2019. The drinks, available in lime and mandarin flavors, in 250ml cans. UK drinkers weren’t convinced. From 2021 to 2022, hard seltzer sales fell by 9%. Balans withdrew from the market and now the only seltzer you’ll find on the shelves at Asda is Alka-Seltzer pain relief tablets in the pharmaceutical section.

Hard Selter market continues on an upward trend in the US

Adam Rogers, IWSR research director for North America, gave an insight into how the market is developing in the US, but elsewhere, drinkers are shunning the fruity beverage. “Spirit-based seltzers, as well as prepared cocktails, have been performing stronger than malt-based seltzers,” he told Spirit Business. “Some of the softening demand is due to the prior significant, and unsustainable, growth trajectory. The spirit base is evolving in the US, with malt-based brands launching vodka-based versions, as well as Tequila-based offerings.”

Sales continue to go from strength to strength in the US, with global sales projected to grow at a CAGR of 16.5% over the next decade. But as far as Europe is concerned, the hard seltzer hard sell has already fizzled out.

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