Absolut unveils Juice Edition innovation in UK
Absolut has launched two flavoured vodkas made with fruit juice in the UK and is encouraging consumers to reuse their bottles.
Available as a UK exclusive, Absolut Juice Edition comes in two flavours inspired by the Swedish summer and autumn: strawberry and apple. With a lower abv of 35% and bottle size of 500ml, the products are said to answer demand from an increasingly health conscious consumer base and have been designed to pair with soda and other sparkling mixers. Aiming to “tap into the growing trend for craft products”, Absolut Juice Edition features a paper label for the first time in the brand’s history. As part of parent company Pernod Ricard’s sustainability drive, the label displays a “clear call to action” for consumers to reuse their bottles as candle holders or vases. In January, Pernod Ricard stopped the use of non-biodegradable straws and stirrers across its global business, and in April collaborated with edible plastics company Loliware to produce the “straw of the future”. “For the past five summers, flavoured spirits have outgrown unflavoured spirits and UK vodka drinkers are preferring sweet fruit flavours,” said Chris Shead, channel director for grocery at Pernod Ricard UK. “Absolut is therefore in the perfect position to drive overall category growth with a true category innovation, Absolut Juice Edition. “Consumers have developed a strong desire for products with a high level of realness, as they believe it brings a better taste and Absolut Juice Edition responds to this, whilst also appealing to the increasingly health conscious who favour brands with natural ingredients.” Absolut Juice Edition carries an RRP of £16 (US$21) and will be supported by a “heavyweight” consumer campaign throughout August. Absolut is the UK’s best-selling flavoured vodka, according to AC Nielsen. The Spirits Business’s Brand Champions report recently revealed that the brand’s global volume sales grew 2.7% in 2017 to 11.3 million cases.
