Category reports
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Category ReportWhat will be the next big thing in beer and cider?
Beer and cider could do with a shake-up. So, what are brands and retailers doing to inject excitement back into the category?
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Category ReportPunk in a funk: what next for IPA?
Punk’s not dead. But it is in a funk. No, we’re not referring to BrewDog going into administration this month before selling for £33m
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Category ReportLow & no cider outgrows beer
Thatchers is the fastest-growing brand in NIQ’s list of the top 10 bestselling low & no beers and ciders
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Category ReportThree quarters of drinkers say alcohol-free beer is too pricey
After years of consistent growth, low & no beer and cider is now worth just shy of £260m. But that’s, well, small beer compared with the £5.7bn alcoholic beer and cider category [NIQ]
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Category ReportCan beer put the ‘fun’ in functional?
Traditionally, beer is made with just four ingredients: water, malted barley (or other grains), hops and yeast
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Category ReportSmall Beer hails big gains as mid-strength brews gain ground
Supermarkets have invested heavily in low & no alcohol offers in recent years. The category has grown in value by 14.3% to £378.3m on volumes up 11.2% [NIQ]
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Category ReportCider brands big up craft cues
In this era of growing suspicion about the processes and ingredients used to produce food and drink, it’s perhaps no surprise lurid, saccharine-sweet fruit ciders are falling out of favour
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Category ReportIs fruit cider a waste of space?
Fruit flavours are tipped as the next big thing in beer but have lost their lustre in the cider category
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Category ReportLow & no alcohol sales surge beyond Dry Jan
You could be forgiven for thinking the low & no alcohol bubble had burst
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Category ReportIs 2026 the year for fruit beer?
The coming year will see a “huge” number of fruit lagers roll into the market, predicts Jesse Wilson, founder & CEO of fruit lager brand Jubel
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Category ReportWhy stout is back in the black and still growing
Not long ago, stout was the preserve of rugby fans and real ale aficionados. But, in less time than it takes for a pint of Guinness to settle, it’s become hot property
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Category ReportThe rise of premium and nostalgic pints
Booze brand directors could be excused for reaching for the bottle right now. That’s because sales data for many big-name beers and ciders doesn’t make for pleasant reading
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Category ReportThe rise of ‘mission-led’ fixtures
Beer and cider are ever-evolving categories. That applies as much to the way products are merchandised as the drinks themselves
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Category ReportRaising the bar: trends in snack bars 2026
Snack bars are pushing boundaries in ingredients and capitalising on demand for functionality. Who’s at the top of the pile?
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Category ReportThe big dairy drink shake-up: trends in dairy drinks 2026
Dairy drinks makers are facing both the sugar tax and the rise of GLP-1 drugs. What are the challenges – and the opportunities?
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Category ReportThe new demon drink? Trends in juices & smoothies 2026
Fruit juice makers are mad as hell about the proposed new nutrient profiling model, which would classify their products as HFSS
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Category ReportA frozen renaissance: trends in frozen food 2026
With frozen sales lukewarm, Brits are ditching staples like peas and fish fingers in favour of savoury snacks and sweet treats
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Category ReportSome assembly required: trends in meat kits 2026
Meal kits makers are attracting ‘more adventurous cooks’ with the promise of restaurant-quality cuisine in a few simple steps
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Category ReportViva gelato! Trends in ice cream 2026
As gelato booms, retailers’ authentic Italian versions are giving brands a run for their money
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Category ReportWater, water everywhere: trends in bottled water 2026
Health-conscious Brits are buying more bottled water than ever. So, what are brands doing to reduce the resulting plastic waste?