Behind the scenes
From Japan to Switzerland: the matcha hype
by Stephan Kurmann
Online sales of spirits boom as Switzerland orders more hard liquor
5.10.2023
Translation: Katherine Martin
Online retailer Galaxus saw orders of spirits such as whisky and gin increase significantly this summer, with sales of some varieties shooting up by almost 50 per cent. The demand for non-alcoholic alternatives declined, with alcohol-free beer proving to be the sole exception.
Alcohol consumption poses a risk to your health. Drink responsibly and in moderation, and contact a qualified professional if you have questions or concerns.Whether it’s a sipping cold brewski at a barbecue, enjoying a lakeside cocktail or watching the sunset with a Scotch on the rocks, warm weather seems to put the Swiss population in a boozy mood. Nothing new there. However, an analysis conducted by Galaxus does reveal one new development – namely, that the number of people in Switzerland having spirits delivered to their homes increased this summer.
The online retailer saw demand for hard liquor rise sharply compared with the previous summer – a trend that impacted all categories, from schnapps to tequila to whisky. Karina Stump, who leads the Category Management team responsible for Galaxus’s supermarket range, said: «We’ve expanded our range significantly in recent years, and now stock over 6,500 different spirits. Our selection ranges from classics produced by famous brands from around the world, to whiskies costing several thousand francs.» Customers appreciate this variety, and make use of the entire range. «Since the drinks are delivered directly to our customers’ doors, there’s no more lugging heavy bottles home from the supermarket. That’s another reason people order spirits online.» As we’ve previously reported, it’s a trend that’s also become apparent in the non-perishable foods sector.
Beer is by far the best-selling alcoholic drink on Galaxus. This is despite the fact that our customers ordered around ten per cent less alcoholic beer than in the previous summer.
Whisky knocked red wine off its spot at number three in the Galaxus alcohol rankings, with growth of 48 per cent this summer.
This ranking displays the top 10 products according to number of sales. If the figures were calculated according to litres, bottles or cans, beer would take an even bigger lead, as it’s often purchased in multipacks. The same goes for wine.
Reliable and efficient age verification
Customers wishing to buy alcoholic drinks from Galaxus have to go through a digital age verification process first. A review conducted by Blue Cross has demonstrated that our system reliably prevents minors from buying alcohol, with all six of the study’s test purchases failing.
At the age verification stage, customers are asked to enter specific data from their identity card or passport. Those with a Swiss ID or passport can continue shopping immediately. For third-country IDs, verification takes up to two working days.
Alcohol-free alternatives proving less popular
Products such as non-alcoholic gin, Tröpfel (a sparkling juice drink billed as an alternative to alcohol) and 0.0% rosé wine spent the majority of the summer confined to our warehouses. Galaxus customers ordered 14 per cent fewer of these alternative drinks than last summer – despite increased demand for non-alcoholic beer, which falls into the same product category. In fact, non-alcoholic beer sales were up 17 per cent on last summer.
What’s your favourite tipple? Do you prefer alcoholic or non-alcoholic drinks? Let us know in the comments!
Tobias Heller
Communications Manager
Tobias.Heller@digitecgalaxus.ch
1 comment
later