Abstract

This report assesses the state of the alcoholic mixables market since the last Mintel report was published in August 2006.

Over the last two years volume sales have stagnated as a result of consumers moderating their alcohol intake and the value of the market has declined due to heavy discounting in the off-trade.

Whilst spirit-based mixables like Pimm' s and Malibu have performed well, aromatised wines face the on-going challenge of making themselves relevant to today' s consumers.

Key themes of the report:

• Health concerns and anti-binge drinking campaigns are causing consumers to reduce their alcohol intake.
• How can manufacturers attract men to the category?
• Aromatised wines need to appeal to younger consumers in order to grow.
• Manufacturers need to embrace innovations seen elsewhere in the alcoholic drinks market to enliven the category.

Table of Contents

• Issues in the Market
• Key themes
• Definitions
• Excluded
• Market in Brief
• Growth on the rocks
• Raising spirits
• Looking forward
• Internal Market Environment
• Key points
• Down in one
  • Figure 1: Trends for alcohol consumption, by frquency, 2003-07
• Staying at home
  • Figure 2: Agreement with selected lifestyle statements, 2003-07
• Focusing on food
  • Figure 3: Ever visit pubs for a drink or a meal, 2003-07
• A more discerning consumer
• Cocktail comeback
• Broader Market Environment
• Key points
• A matter of duty
• It all ads up
• Manufacturers acting responsibly
• A greying population
  • Figure 4: Trends in population, by age, 2003-13
• A feminine touch
  • Figure 5: Working population, by gender, 2003-13
• Potential for premiumisation
  • Figure 6: Forecast adult population trends, by socio-economic group, 2003-13
• Competitive Context
• Key points
• Premixed spirits
• Wider alcoholic drinks market
• Good intentions
• Get ' em young
  • Figure 7: Summary of market strategies in other alcoholic spirits markets, 2008
  • Figure 8: Summary of market strategies in no/low-alcoholic drinks markets, 2008
• Strengths and Weaknesses in the Market
• Strengths
• Weaknesses
• Market Size and Forecast
• Key points
• Cutting back
  • Figure 10: UK retail sales of alcoholic mixables both on- and off-trade, by volume and value, 2003-08
• The future of the market
• Forecast for alcoholic mixables
• Cheapening prices hitting profits
  • Figure 11: UK retail sales of alcoholic mixables both on- and off-trade, by volume and value, 2003-13
• Segmentation
• Inflation will hit revenue of spirit-based mixables
  • Figure 12: UK retail sales of spirit-based mixables, by volume and value, 2003-13
• Aromatic wine unable to arrest decline
  • Figure 13: UK retail sales of aromatised wine mixables, by volume and value, 2003-13
• Factors used in the forecast
• Market Segmentation
• Key points
• Fighting spirit
  • Figure 14: UK retail sales of alcoholic mixables, by type, 2005 and 2007
• Spirit-based mixables
  • Figure 15: UK retail sales of spirit-based mixables, by volume and value, 2003-08
• Aromatised wines
  • Figure 16: UK retail sales of aromatised wine mixables, by volume and value, 2003-08
• Dry, Bianco or Rosso
  • Figure 17: UK retail sales of aromatised wine mixables, by type and volume, 2005 and 2007
• Market Share
• Key points
• Pimm' s o' clock
  • Figure 18: Leading alcoholic mixables brand shares, by volume, 2005 and 2007
• Companies and Products
• Key points
• Company profiles
  • Figure 19: Alcohol mixables brand map, 2008
• Bacardi-Martini Limited
• Martini
  • Figure 20: The Martini product range, 2008
• Noilly Prat
  • Figure 21: The Noilly Prat product range , 2008
• Diageo plc
• Pimm' s
• Archers
• Pernod Ricard
• Malibu
• Dubonnet
• Cellar Trends
• Campari
• Cinzano
• Other manufacturers/distributors
• Brand Elements
• Brand map
  • Figure 22: Attitudes and usage of spirit-based mixable brands, May 2008
• Martini
• What the brand is trying to achieve
• What the consumer thinks
  • Figure 23: Attitudes towards the Martini brand, May 2008
• Taboo
• What the brand is trying to achieve
• What the consumer thinks
  • Figure 24: Attitudes towards THE TABOO brand, May 2008
• Pimm' s
• What the brand is trying to achieve
• What the consumer thinks
  • Figure 25: Attitudes towards the Pimm' s brand, May 2008
• Archers
• What the brand is trying to achieve
• What the consumer thinks
  • Figure 26: Attitudes towards the Archers brand, May 2008
• Malibu
• What the brand is trying to achieve
• What the consumer thinks
  • Figure 27: Attitudes towards the Malibu brand, May 2008
• Brand qualities of spirit-based mixable brands
• Pimm' s most stylish; who Taboo?
  • Figure 28: Personalities of various spirit-based mixable brands, May 2008
• Experience of spirit-based mixable brands
• Use is only occasional? Taboo has lowest awareness
  • Figure 29: Consumer usage of various spirit-based mixable brands, May 2008
• Brand intentions for spirit-based mixable brands
• Malibu and Taboo most off-putting?
  • Figure 30: Consideration of various spirit-based mixable brands, May 2008
• Brand momentum for spirit-based mixable brands
• Pimm' s gaining most ground - Martini all at sea
  • Figure 31: Momentum of various spirit-based mixable brands, May 2008
• Brand satisfaction for spirit-based mixable brands
• Pimm' s most excellent, but Malibu generally pleasing
  • Figure 32: Satisfaction with various spirit-based mixable brands, May 2008
• Brand commitment to spirit-based mixable brands
• Martini -- not any time, any where, any place any more!
  • Figure 33: Commitment to various spirit-based mixable brands, May 2008
• Round up
• Brand Communication and Promotion
• Key points
• Abandoning above-the-line advertising
  • Figure 34: Above-the-line advertising expenditure, by main alcoholic mixable brands, 2005-08*
• Embrace or adapt?
• Below-the-line activity
• Channels to Market
• Key points
• My place or yours?
  • Figure 35: UK retail sales of alcoholic mixables, by type of outlet, by volume, 2005 and 2007
• The price is right
• The Consumer -- Penetration
• Key points
• The odd tipple
  • Figure 36: Trends for alcohol consumption, by frquency and location, 2003-07
• Winners and losers
  • Figure 37: Consumption of alcoholic drinks in the last 12 months, by type, 2003-07
• The mixer profile
  • Figure 38: Penetration and weight of consumption of vermouth in the last 12 months, 2003-07
  • Figure 39: Penetration and weight of consumption of other spirits* in the last 12 months, 2003-07
• The Consumer -- Further Analysis
• Key points
• Alcoholic mixables choices
• Missing the masses
  • Figure 42: Number of types of alcohol-based mixables drunk in the past year, May 2008
• One type
• Two or more types
• Targeting consumers
  • Figure 43: Consumer typologies, May 2008
• DIY Phobics (10% of respondents)
  • Figure 44: How DIY Phobics differ attitudinally from the other groups, May 2008
• Who are they?
• Next steps
• Thrill Seekers (10% of respondents)
  • Figure 45: How Thrill Seekers differ attitudinally from the other groups, May 2008
• Who are they?
• Next steps
• Alco Frugal (13% of respondents)
  • Figure 46: How the Alco Frugal differ attitudinally from the other groups, May 2008
• Who are they?
• Next steps
• No Spirit (67% of respondents)
• Who are they?
• Next steps
• Appendix
• Abbreviations
• Appendix: The Consumer -- Penetration
  • Figure 47: Frequency of vermouth consumption in the last 12 months, by gender, age, socio-economic group, marital status, lifestage, presence of children, Mintel' s Special Groups, working status, tenure, region, ACORN category, media usage, household size and car ownership, 2007
  • Figure 48: Frequency of other spirits consumption in the last 12 months, by gender, age, socio-economic group, marital status, lifestage, presence of children, Mintel' s Special Groups, working status, tenure, region, ACORN category, media usage, household size and car ownership, 2007
• Appendix: Consumer -- Further Analysis
• Alcoholic mixable choices
  • Figure 51: Repertoire analysis of usage, by type of spirit-based mixables drunk in the past year, May 2008
  • Figure 52: Likelihood of drinking more than one spirit-based mixable, by alcohol type, May 2008
  • Figure 53: Repertoire of spirit-based mixables, by gender, age, socio-economic group, marital status, lifestage, presence of children, Mintel' s Special Groups, working status, tenure, ACORN category, region, media usage and supermarket usage, May 2008
• Appendix: Consumer Typologies
  • Figure 54: Groups split according to their attitudes towards cocktails, May 2008
  • Figure 55: Typologies, by gender, age, socio-economic group, marital status, lifestage, presence of children, Mintel' s Special Groups, working status, tenure, ACORN category, region, media usage and supermarket usage, May 2008