Peru’s energy drink and alcohol-free beer import boom stalls in 2026

Two fast-growing beverage categories lose momentum

Peru’s imports of energy drinks and alcohol-free beer fell by double digits in both volume and value during the first eight months of 2026, reversing the expansion recorded in 2025. Data from the Foreign Trade Research and Development Institute, or Idexcam, of the Lima Chamber of Commerce indicate a sharp change in purchasing patterns, although the figures do not establish that final consumer demand has contracted.

Between January and August 2026, energy drink imports totaled 1.62 million liters, down 23.9% from the same period of 2025. Their CIF value declined 22.5% to US$1.83 million. Shipments from the United States fell by about 24.5% in volume, while purchases from Switzerland decreased by roughly 21.2%.

Energy drinks retain a broader demand base

The slowdown followed a year of expansion. Energy drink imports rose 15.3% by volume in 2025 to 3.89 million liters, but their value increased only 0.7% to US$4.27 million. The average import value consequently declined from approximately US$1.25 per liter in 2024 to US$1.10 in 2025.

Óscar Quiñones, head of Idexcam, said the lower average value did not necessarily mean lower consumer prices. It could instead reflect changes in the import mix, better supply terms or a larger presence of products with lower unit values. The United States supplied approximately 96% of imported volume in 2025, up from 90% in 2024, while its share by value rose from 71% to 85%.

Retail data point to continued category growth despite weaker imports. According to Euromonitor figures cited by ATV and Agraria, energy drink retail sales in Peru reached 53.2 million liters in 2025, an increase of 4.1%, albeit at a slower pace than in previous years. Reduced-sugar and sugar-free alternatives are also gaining ground, Quiñones said.

Alcohol-free beer retreats after a threefold surge

Alcohol-free beer recorded a much larger import boom in 2025. Purchases rose from 481,000 liters worth US$678,000 in 2024 to 1.77 million liters worth US$2.27 million in 2025. That represented growth of 267.9% in volume and 235.1% in value. Mexico was the main driver, increasing its share of imported volume from about 60% to 85%.

The trend reversed in January-August 2026, when alcohol-free beer imports declined 37.9% to 796,000 liters. Their value fell 30.9%, from US$1.62 million to US$1.12 million. Idexcam linked the contraction partly to the increased presence of products made and marketed locally, as well as to a more diverse supplier base.

Supplier mix changes as the market develops

Mexico’s share of Peru’s imported alcohol-free beer fell from 88.4% to 63.7% between the comparable eight-month periods. The Netherlands expanded its share from 5.5% to 25.4%, while Spain advanced from 2.9% to 9.8%. For importers and brand owners, the figures show that the market is moving beyond its initial surge: weaker border volumes may reflect normalization, local substitution and supplier competition rather than a clear collapse in consumption.