Pour decisions and puff choices: 2026 is dishing out health conscience choices

The new year, new me ethos is not just a personal mantra – it’s a business imperative. As consumer preferences shift toward healthier and more sustainable choices around beverages and cigarettes, supply chains adapt. 

Wine: Non-alcoholic trends gain momentum

The wine industry is bracing for another year of change, with non-alcoholic wines poised to become a mainstream category. This follows a pattern seen previously in the beer sector, where non-alcoholic brews surged in popularity since 2024. In the EU, non-alcoholic wine exports (including intra-EU trade) reached 2.35 billion liters in the 12 months to September 2025, representing 34.9% of alcoholic wine volumes. However, the sector remains largely inward-focused, with only 27.1% of non-alcoholic wine exports heading beyond EU borders, compared to 41.9% for alcoholic wines.

Growth in non-alcoholic wine exports was a modest 5.1% year over year in Q3 2025. The US market, while showing a 37.8% rebound in Q3, remains well below 2023 levels, highlighting the complexities of inventory and shipping strategies for European producers. As technology for dealcoholization improves and more vintners enter the space, we expect further shifts in global wine supply chains.

Spirits: Whiskey faces headwinds amid changing tastes

The spirits sector is not immune to disruption. Suntory Holdings Ltd.’s decision to pause production at a Kentucky distillery underscores the impact of declining US whiskey exports, which fell 23.8% year over year in Q3 2025. Shipments to the EU were particularly hard-hit, plunging 43.3% despite the suspension of proposed EU tariffs on US whiskey.

UK whisky exporters also faced challenges, with global sales down 2.5% in the first half of 2025 and shipments to the US falling 11.4% in Q3 YOY. Meanwhile, US imports of whiskies from Canada and Ireland grew by 11.1% and 16.2%, respectively, even as these products attracted higher tariffs. These trends underscore the importance of agile supply chain planning in the face of shifting consumer tastes and trade policies.

Nicotine products: Alternatives drive growth

Health-conscious consumers, particularly younger generations, are reshaping the nicotine market. The UK, for example, has seen a rise in nicotine pouch usage – especially among men aged 16–24 – following a ban on electronic vapes. Globally, exports of nicotine products for oral intake grew 17.1% in the year to October 2025, with Sweden, Hungary, and Denmark leading production.

The EU remains the largest market for these alternatives, accounting for 47.3% of global imports, followed by the US (13.8%) and Canada (10.4%). While cigarette imports into the EU reached US$19.7 billion (up 5.2% year over year), nicotine pouch imports surged 43.0% to US$1.9 billion, and e-cigarette imports declined 11.8% to US$2.9 billion.

Electronic cigarette trade has been volatile, with a 6.6% year-over-year increase in global exports in the 12 months to October 2025, following a contraction in 2024. The EU and Japan remain key markets, but regulatory scrutiny is likely to persist as new alternatives emerge.