Key trends shaping the beverage industry – Here’s what you need to know

The beverage industry is rapidly transforming. Shifting consumer expectations, tightening regulatory environments, and digital innovation are redefining how beverages are produced, marketed, and consumed.

For brand owners, success now requires more than great products. It demands operational excellence, regulatory readiness, and consumer-first engagement. Four major trends are driving this new reality:

1. Sustainability is no longer optional – and traceability is key

Consumers are increasingly demanding eco-friendly products and practices. Companies are responding by enhancing their supply chain initiatives to focus on sustainable efforts. Clear communication about genuine sustainability efforts is crucial to maintaining consumer trust.

• Consumers are willing to spend an average of 7% more on sustainably produced or sourced goods, even as cost-of-living and inflationary concerns weigh¹.
• They also place the greatest responsibility for sustainable packaging on brand owners and packaging producers, assigning far less to themselves, retailers, or regulators². This makes sustainability not just a compliance requirement but a direct driver of brand equity.

At the core of this shift lies traceability. By tracking products from raw materials to end-of-life, brands can demonstrate transparency, prove compliance, and strengthen trust. Those who treat traceability data as part of their sustainability narrative will turn compliance into competitive advantage.

2. Stricter regulatory compliance

Regulatory authorities are tightening rules around labeling, safety, and traceability. Track & trace programs that initially focused on excisable goods such as tobacco now increasingly cover beverage categories like soft drinks and beer.

Importantly, these programs are also requiring consumer participation: by scanning a code on the product, consumers can access detailed product information while helping authorities detect illicit products.

• A great example: Ukraine’s e-Excise system, launching in January 2026, mandates that all alcohol and tobacco products feature digital excise stamps that consumers can scan – linking them directly into traceability systems and strengthening market integrity.
• In Europe, the upcoming EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) introduces a QR code or another type of standardised, open, digital data carrier. This requirement will transform how beverage companies disclose packaging data³. For beverage producers, this means every bottle, can, or container must carry accessible, standardized digital information on material composition, recyclability, and sustainability performance.

This regulatory shift pushes beverage companies to rethink packaging design, invest in digital traceability systems, and prepare for a future where compliance, sustainability, and consumer engagement converge in one scannable code.

3. Rising consumer demand for transparency

Consumers increasingly expect clear, reliable information about the products they buy – and beverages are no exception.

A GS1 survey shows that 77% of consumers say product information is important when making a purchase. Their top priorities include⁴:

• 53% nutrition facts
• 37% materials and ingredients
• 36% safety information
• 32% country of origin
• 27% allergens
• 20% recall alerts

This signals a new era where transparency and well-being drive consumer choices. Brands that deliver this information – both digitally and directly on packaging – will be best positioned to earn loyalty, strengthen trust, and stand out in a crowded market.

4. GS1 Digital Link

The GS1 Digital Link, a next-generation 2D barcode, is set to redefine packaging. One code can serve multiple audiences – regulators, retailers, and consumers – while dynamically delivering context-specific information.

In fact, 79% of consumers say they are more likely to purchase products with a scannable barcode or QR code (via smartphone) that provides the additional product information they want to see⁵.

This standard will not only streamline compliance but also unlock new levels of digital engagement, making packaging an always-on communication channel.

How Inexto helps your brand navigate these trends

At Inexto, we see these trends not as isolated challenges but as interconnected forces reshaping the beverage landscape. Our end-to-end traceability solutions help brands stay ahead by:

• Complying with regulations at scale: Our proven serialization and traceability platforms are already deployed in some of the world’s most demanding regulatory environments. We help you meet evolving national and international standards and regulations.
• Empowering data visibility: Centralized tracking of supply chain events enables recalls, tailored reporting, and full transparency from production to point-of-sale.
• Driving consumer engagement: Through secure QR codes and GS1 Digital Links, we transform packaging into an interactive channel, providing product traceability information directly to consumers.

Ensuring global interoperability: With full GS1 Digital Link compatibility, our systems ensure your products can seamlessly connect with regulators, retailers, and consumers worldwide.