See the changes and strategic choices shaping liquor retail in 2026

The liquor industry is changing — but how are those changes influencing small liquor store businesses? We collected sales data from over 1,400 stores and surveyed a wide mix of liquor stores to find out.

Shifts in generational drinking habits, rising costs, and new products are just a few of the factors affecting liquor retailers in 2026. We explored which of these challenges are impacting liquor retailers the most, uncovered informative liquor industry statistics, and found out what stores are doing to adjust.

Key findings include:

• 81% of liquor stores carry NA products, but less than half plan to expand their selection.
• 66% of liquor retailers see rising costs as the biggest trend to watch in 2026.
• 53% of liquor store owners are concerned about the potential impact of younger people’s changing drinking habits.
• 54% of retailers indicate they’re preparing to expand their selection of ready-to-drink (RTD) cocktails.