The latest in our series of digital features turns the spotlight on beer, wine and spirits. Here’s what you need to know.

Alcohol Feature 1

Wine o’clock: 15% of Brits regularly polish off a bottle solo

One in three Brits drinks at home alone with 15% regularly polishing off a bottle of wine to themselves, according to an exclusive poll for The Grocer. That means many are regularly knocking back around 10 units of alcohol in one sitting, instead of the recommended daily maximum of two to three units for women, or three to four for men…

Alcohol Feature 2

Meet the buyers: booze is ‘best gig in the world’

Do beer, wine and spirits buyers have the best job in the world? We caught up with the people every alcohol supplier needs to know.

Alcohol Feature 3

Smirnoff is the fastest growing brand in alcohol

…and it’s achieved that status thanks to premiumisation. The vodka brand’s growth has been driven partly by the launch of Gold, a premium brand extension containing gold leaf, and a move into frozen cocktails. Plus: we round up the rest of the top 10.

Alcohol Feature 4

Merchandising matters: 10 winning ways to stand out

From a mobile tuk-tuk bar to free-standing display units featuring everything needed to whip up a cocktail, alcohol brands are pulling out all the stops to stand out on shelf.

Alcohol Feature 5

Half of Brits are trying to drink less - but booze sales are up

While low-alcohol beers and ciders are proving popular, low-alcohol wine is struggling.

Alcohol Feature 6

Creative challenge: Sherry isn’t dead

Think that sherry is your granny’s favourite tipple, and port is for grandpa after dinner? Not any more. The Grocer has commissioned global branding agency Coley Porter Bell to blow the proverbial dust off port and sherry and drag them into the 21st century

Alcohol Feature 7

Video: Mango cider’s not as mad as it sounds

Sales of sweet, fruity cider are soaring, while traditional favourites such as Strongbow lag behind. The Grocer’s Rob Brown heads to Heineken’s orchards to find out how the drinks giant is adapting.

Alcohol Feature 8

Wine in a flask launches in the US: top 10 global innovations

Edible pieces of 23 carat gold suspended in Smirnoff’s vodka is one thing; these innovations from global alcohol brands are quite another. We take a look at 10 of the more unusual drinks on offer.

Alcohol Feature 9

Carling is booze’s biggest advertiser as spend surges 35%

Heritage and craftsmanship were the focus of alcohol’s biggest advertising spenders this year, as booze brands championed their roots in TV ads throughout the summer. And Carling led the field, spending £13.9m on traditional ad space for the year to June…

Alcohol Feature 10

Blossom Hill is the ‘most social’ brand

Sparking outrage by shrinking the size of its white Zinfandel to 50cl bottles helped Blossom Hill reach more people on Facebook than any other alcohol brand, exclusive research for The Grocer has revealed. Which other brands made a splash on social media?

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