"The beverage category represents a significant opportunity for the food industry to invest in innovative products that cater to grocery shoppers' expanding preferences," said Leslie G. Sarasin, President and CEO of FMI.
According to Circana data, shoppers spent nearly $295 billion on retail beverages in 2025. As consumers increasingly seek beverages for specific benefits, retailers have new opportunities to merchandise around consumer needs rather than traditional product segments.
"Consumers' beverage purchasing behavior is evolving faster than traditional category definitions," said Steve Markenson, VP of research and insights at FMI.
Key Findings:
- Function drives purchases — hydration, energy, protein, digestive health, and mood support are top motivators.
- The path to purchase is going digital, with ecommerce and social commerce shaping discovery, especially among younger shoppers.
- Value means more than price. 61% cite low price as key, but taste (46%), trusted quality (40%), and brand trust (39%) follow closely.
- Occasion-based buying is rising, creating room to merchandise around need states.
- Influencers spark interest, but trust seals the deal — 45% of Gen Z say a beverage becomes more appealing after learning about it from a creator, with millennials close behind.
The survey polled 2,003 U.S. grocery shoppers aged 18+ between May 19–26, 2026, with a margin of error of ±2.0 percentage points at the 95% confidence level. Circana contributed point-of-sale and shopper panel data; Nichefire contributed predictive cultural trend analysis.
