GLOBAL: Vodka sales stagnate in 2012 - research

The global vodka market managed only 0.3% growth last year, reaching 493.9m nine-litre cases, with sales under pressure in its Eastern and Central European strongholds, according to a new report from just-drinks and The IWSR.

Value sales (including taxation) in calendar-2012 rose by 4.1% to US$48.9bn. The Americas saw a healthy 6.3% gain to US$15bn, although sales in Europe declined by 6.6% to US$11.5bn. 

According to the report, the 'Global market review of vodka – forecasts to 2018', the Americas region has seen its share of the global market rise from 13.2% to 17.7%  (87.6m cases) between 2008 and 2012. Sales in the US rose by 7.1% in 2012 to $11.9bn. The report also noted that the vodka sector is taking off in Asia, albeit from a small base.

Retail value sales were boosted by premiumisation across a spectrum of markets, the report states, with higher qualities of vodka outperforming the general market.

Premium-and-above vodka sales increased by 7.6% last year to 25.8m cases, while low-priced vodka was the only segment to decline. The US and Russia account for the vast majority of the premium-and-above market: The US alone has a 74% share (18.9m cases), while Russia has an 11.5% share (2.9m cases), followed by Brazil with a 2.3% share (601,250 cases).

The report states that the super-premium market in the US is booming once more, registering a 9.5% rise in 2012 from 2011.

Another key trend identified by the report is the continued growth in flavoured vodka. In fact, while neutral vodka was virtually flat in 2012, volumes of flavoured vodka rose by 5.7% to 23.2m cases. Flavours comprised 4.7% of the global vodka market in 2012, up from 3.4% in 2008, report stated. The US market accounts for 60% of the total flavoured vodka market, followed by Poland with 15.4% and India with 5%.