Brits are becoming more knowledgeable, more digitally influenced and increasingly driven by experience over habit when it comes to deciding what to buy in the drinks aisle, according to new data.
Taken from the Sowine/Dynata Wine & Drinks Barometer UK 2026, the data suggests the drinks market is entering a new phase where quality, authenticity and engagement matter as much as price. Based on a recent survey of more than 1,000 UK consumers, the report shows that wine continues to dominate the drinks landscape, with 58% of consumers naming it among their favourite alcoholic drinks, up four percentage points year-on-year. Beer remained stable at 51%, while Champagne emerged as one of the strongest performing categories, also rising four points to 22%.
The report also points to a growing appetite for wine knowledge and experimentation. Interest in wine climbed to 61% of consumers, while the proportion of self-described wine ‘experts’ doubled from 4% to 9%. Some 72% of Brits now believe a minimum level of wine knowledge is needed to properly appreciate wine.
While most shoppers still spend under £20 on wine, the report identified pockets of selective premiumisation, particularly around Champagne and orange wine, where consumers were more willing to trade up. At the same time, 79% of wine drinkers now primarily consume wine at home.
“Beyond moderation and the rise of mindful drinking, what we are seeing is a deeper transformation in how people relate to drinks, particularly wine, with growing expectations around quality, diversity and experience,” Marie Mascré, CEO & co-founder of Sowine, said.
Low & no alcohol continued to be one of the market’s fastest-growing areas, with 45% of UK consumers now drinking low & no-alcohol products, up seven points year-on-year. Growth was particularly strong among younger adults, while taste is increasingly replacing moderation as a core purchase driver.
The research also highlighted the growing role of technology in drinks discovery. Some 32% of UK consumers said they had already used AI to seek advice on alcoholic drinks, while 37% of socially active wine buyers said they had purchased a wine recommended online. Instagram and TikTok came out on top as the key players influencing drinks.
However, these upbeat consumer trends land at a time when the trade is facing a more fragile wider economic backdrop.
Separate research from inventory platform Unleashed warned that global instability and the conflict in Iran are beginning to hit confidence and sales across UK beverage manufacturing. Small and mid-sized drinks manufacturers saw average sales revenue fall by 31% in the first quarter of the year, with the sector exposed to rising packaging, ingredient and transport costs linked to energy market volatility.
Joe Llewellyn, GM of ERP small business at The Access Group, said tensions in the Middle East and disruption around the Strait of Hormuz were creating “significant market uncertainty”, adding that higher fuel and energy prices could further squeeze confidence and margins later this year.
