Per capita expenditure on alcohol

In 2025, per capita expenditure on alcohol in the United States is estimated to reach $1,007.6, representing an increase of 1.5% over the previous year. Economic stability in 2025 has supported the continued recovery of consumer spending. Consumers continue to show a preference for premium alcoholic beverages despite upward pressure on prices due to inflation. This has contributed to ongoing growth, though the pace has moderated from the immediate post-pandemic rebound.

Over the five years to 2025, expenditure patterns have been shaped by a combination of economic, health, and social trends. The COVID-19 pandemic had a marked impact in 2020, driving a 10.2% drop in per capita expenditure as regulatory measures reduced consumption at bars, hotels, and restaurants. Alcohol purchases for home consumption rose but did not fully offset the decline in on-premises sales. As pandemic restrictions lifted in 2021 and consumers resumed out-of-home activities, per capita spending rebounded by 18.1%, reflecting pent-up demand for social drinking. Continued increases in per capita alcohol expenditure followed in 2022 and 2023, rising by 4.7% and 1.0%, respectively. However, these increases were tempered by inflation, which constrained discretionary spending even as demand for premium beverages such as wine, spirits, and craft beer remained strong.

Changing consumer preferences over this period reinforced the shift toward higher-priced premium beverages, including craft and imported products. This partially offset stagnation in overall volume, as beer consumption stagnated due to heightened health consciousness and dietary trends discouraging high-carbohydrate drinks. Millennials' increased willingness to spend on social experiences and premium brands contributed further to expenditure growth, with trends like happy hours and weekend brunches supporting out-of-home sales. Macroeconomic conditions, including employment gains and rising disposable incomes, also played pivotal roles, but inflation since 2022 has increasingly moderated growth in real discretionary outlays.

Through 2025, per capita expenditure on alcohol has reflected a balancing of these trends. Continued interest in premiumization and social consumption, along with gradual improvements in economic and employment indicators, have maintained upward pressure on expenditure even as inflation and cost-of-living concerns have limited more robust spending gains. Regulatory conditions surrounding alcohol sales have remained broadly unchanged across the period.