Hard seltzers in the starting blocks before the summer

With sales of 250 000 euros in retail, these alcoholic beverages, which are very trendy in the United States and the United Kingdom, are only starting in France, and the competition promises to be intense in the coming months.

Still unknown in France a few months ago, hard seltzers, drinks composed of carbonated water, a little alcohol and flavorings, arrived on the shelves in 2020. With nearly 250 000 euros generated since their launch last November, the category remains modest in size compared to the heavyweights of the drink aisle.

To compare, in April, 98,000 euros worth of hard seltzers were sold in France, but 4 times as much tequila or 111 times as much vodka. While performance remains moderate, turnover in the category more than doubled between March and April (+222%). This April, almost one in two retailers had at least one hard seltzer reference, and on average there were three references in shop.