Consumers’ interest in single-serve and other “alternatives to the norm” in package sizes could be a sticky trend across not just beer, but other bev-alc categories as well, according to the latest monthly report from Bump Williams Consulting (BWC).
Can 1-packs led share gains of total beer dollar sales (+0.7 share points) in NIQ-tracked off-premise channels year-to-date (YTD) through August 16, BWC reported.
Other package sizes gaining share this year include bottle 1-packs (+0.2 share points), can 30-packs (+0.1 points), can 3-packs (+0.1 points) and can 24-packs (+0.1 points) – all atypical from the historically dominant pack sizes in the category.
Can and bottle 12-packs remain the largest share holders in beer, accounting for a collective 31% of total beer dollar sales in the last 26 weeks, ending August 9, according to NIQ data shared with Brewbound. One-packs claimed the second largest share in the period (19.9%), increasing their lead ahead of 6-packs (16.4%).
Zooming deeper into package sizes by beer segment, import bottle 1-packs gained the most share YTD (+0.23 points), BWC reported. Other single packs to increase share included import cans (+0.17 points YTD), hard seltzer cans (+0.16 points), craft cans (+0.16 points) and flavored malt beverage (FMB) cans (+0.15 points).
Beyond single-serve packs, other top share gainers by segment include:
- Super premium can 12-packs, +0.21 share points YTD;
- Below premium can 30-packs, +0.15 points;
- Import can 12-packs, +0.14 points;
- Super premium can 24-packs, +0.13 points;
- Import can 24-packs, +0.11 points.
Meanwhile, more “traditional” beer package formats led share declines, including bottle 12-packs (-0.6 points), bottle 6-packs (-0.3 points) and can 6-packs (-0.1%). Other share declines were recorded by bottle 18-packs and can 15-packs (-0.1 points each).
Across beer segments, hard seltzer can 12-packs (-0.48 share points YTD) recorded the largest share loss. Twelve-pack share losses were also recorded within import bottles (-0.25 points), premium bottles (-0.12 points), craft bottles (-0.11 points) and FMB bottles (-0.8%).
Additional share-losing packages include:
- Premium can 24-packs, -0.19 points;
- Craft bottle 6-packs, -0.16 points;
- Craft can 15-packs, -0.09 points;
- Premium can 18-packs, -0.08 points;
- And craft can 6-packs, -0.08 points.
“This momentum behind scaled-down pack sizes and large-format singles is NOT a new development within beer; and is in fact a trend that we have been watching develop for quite some time now,” BWC founder Bump Williams wrote.
“What makes it so interesting to continually monitor however is the depth/breadth of the consumer interest and sustained momentum across multiple areas within the category, elevating the narrative from a push-driven flash in the stats to a potentially legitimate shift in longer-term shopping behaviors.”
The trend also isn’t exclusive to beer and is starting to emerge in spirits, including spirits-based ready-to-drink cocktails (RTDs).
The largest share gains within spirits were recorded by 375 ml bottle 1-packs (+0.6 share points YTD) and 50 ml bottle 1-packs (+0.4 share points). Other nominal gains were recorded by 700 ml bottles 1 packs, 50 ml bottle 10-packs and 100 ml bottle 1-packs – each recording a 0.1 point increase in share YTD.
Meanwhile, larger single-serve bottle sizes have lost share, including 750 ml (-1 share point), 1.75 L (-0.3 points) and 1 L (-0.1 points).
Williams insisted that shifts to smaller pack sizes are not entirely driven by price increases and strained wallets. However, price increases across the industry are certainly playing a role.
Over the last four years (January 2021 through July 2025), the average price per case of beer has increased 15%, from $26.24 to $31.38 – a more than $5 increase. Some of the largest increases in the same period were recorded by hard cider (from about $43 to $49.64), FMBs (from just over $35, to $40.83) and hard seltzer (from about $34 to $40.21).
Other increases were recorded by craft (from about $40 to $43.89), imports (from about $34 to $37.86), premium (from nearly $22, to $25.12) and below premium (from about $16 to $19.71). Super premium beer has remained the most consistent, increasing from about $29, to $30.72 in the period.
“Interestingly, the average price gap for super premium vs. premium has narrowed a bit over recent years, and while the magnitude has been minimal, every little bit has the potential to make a difference when it comes to encouraging trade-up among those shoppers toeing the line of consideration,” Williams noted.
This year, hard seltzer has led price increases, with the average price per case increasing by $1.25 in the last 52 weeks through August 8, according to NIQ data shared by the market research firm. Other segments with nearly $1 increases include FMBs/coolers (+$0.99, to $40.89) and malt liquor (+$0.92, to $23.55).
“Again, I do want to stress that the visible swings in category share and momentum behind the smaller formats across beer and spirits are not always purely price-driven developments,” Williams noted. “Some of these trends have been steadily building over time and in most cases are still very much tied to specific occasions, channels (ex. c-stores) or retail strategies.”
The trends come as beer continues to perform better in c-stores than grocery – the former of which tends to favor single-serve package sizes. In the last four weeks (data ending August 10), beer dollar sales were in the black (+0.4%) year-over-year (YoY) in Circana-tracked c-stores, outpacing total category trends (dollar sales -1.2%). Meanwhile, beer recorded a 3.5% decline in grocery dollar sales in the period.
Yet, beer recorded larger increases in average price per case in c-stores (+$0.79, to $33.49) in the last four weeks compared to grocery (+$0.37, to $30.50), according to Circana data.
“With many of the leading growth areas for beer and spirits still skewed toward the high end, it is difficult to suggest that current pricing pressures are definitively causing consumers to outright trade down in brand/style,” Williams wrote. “Instead, it looks like some consumers are perhaps altering their pack size to alleviate any potential pricing sensitivities while also being able to stay in their preferred lane of brand/style.”