After an extended period of trading challenges, spirits sales by value rose 0.8% in the year to early September. This helped the category added 0.6 percentage points to its share of On-Premise BevAl sales, and spirits now attract 46.9% of total spending.
Some of spirits’ gains have come at the expense of the beer and wine categories, where sales by value dipped 3.1% and 0.5% respectively year-on-year.
While spirits’ growth is marginal, and reflects increased prices in bars and restaurants rather than higher volumes, it is an encouraging indicator for On-Premise operators and suppliers as the crucial holiday trading season gets underway.
NIQ’s OPM service provides many more insights into spirits’ performance in key channels of the US On-Premise, including a robust performance in the largest of these, casual dining. Tequila is consumers’ most popular spirit here, with a 13.6% share of total BevAl sales—putting it well clear of vodka (9.9%) and whiskey (9.3%). Spirits meanwhile gained 0.3 percentage points of share in bars, though beer continues to dominate here.
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NIQ’s exclusive data also highlights the growing popularity of ready to drink (RTD) products in the US On-Premise. While these remain a small part of trading with a 1.4% share, sales by value have jumped by 40.3% year-on-year. RTDs have been building particularly good momentum in nightclubs, where they have gained 0.7 percentage points of share in just 12 months.
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Matthew Crompton, CGA by NIQ’s VP – Americas, On Premise said: “Pressure on spending and moderation have created a challenging environment for spirits in recent times, but these latest figures indicate a positive direction of travel in 2025. Tequila’s sustained growth is a standout, but there should be opportunities for more share gains across the bar if suppliers can deliver the right blend of value and quality over the festive season. It’s also encouraging to see the upward trajectory of RTDs, to which more and more consumers are turning for convenience and consistency. These will be a big focal point for growth in 2026, and adapting to drinkers’ fast-moving preferences will be vital in this dynamic category.”
Source: OPM (On Premise Measurement) Total US, Megacategory, $, Value, Rolling L52 w/e 09.06.2025 vs YA
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