Au Vodka crowned UK’s most popular RTD, replacing Gordon’s
Au Vodka has been named the UK’s most popular ready-to-drink (RTD) brand, according to new consumer research. The result marks a decisive generational shift in a category once dominated by heritage spirits.
AU Vodka has been named the UK’s most popular ready-to-drink, according to consumer research firm NIQ. The business generated £55,083,747 in sales across 2025, as per NIQ data, placing it ahead of long-time category leader Gordon’s.
The data show a sharp rise in RTD sales as colourful cans and convenience outpace centuries-old incumbents.
The change marks a 38% annual rise in RTD sales and sees AU Vodka overtake Gordon’s, a spirit with a 256-year history that previously held the number one spot.
From novelty to national fixture
The brand’s premixed range spans flavours including cherryade, pink lemonade, juicy peach and blue raspberry. AU Vodka says demand for the cans has been driven by strong national distribution, high repeat purchase rates and a standout presence, according to statements shared by the company.
Writing on LinkedIn, Tom Smith, sales director UK and Ireland and duty free at AU Vodka, said NIQ data over the last 52 weeks showed the brand “taking the top spot from Gordon’s, which has long dominated the category”. Smith added that the RTD market was evolving quickly and that AU Vodka had “reshaped the RTD category”.
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Rapid growth in cans and coverage
Charlie Morgan, co-founder and managing director at AU Vodka, also confirmed the ranking on LinkedIn, stating: “We are officially the UK’s #1 RTD can.” He said the brand had moved from selling 250,000 cans online and through local independent stores to being available in over 90% of licensed retail outlets in the UK.
Morgan added that AU Vodka had recorded £15.4m in sales over the last 12 weeks, as per Nielsen tracked data, and that this performance placed it ahead of brands including Smirnoff, Gordon’s and Jack Daniel’s & Coke.
RTDs ride changing drinking habits
As reported by the drinks business, the wider RTD category continues to benefit from shifting social habits, particularly among Gen Z consumers. Speaking to db, Global Brands senior brand manager Holly Bolus said that since the pandemic, more consumers were choosing to drink at home, with 38% preferring small social gatherings and 35% citing the cost of living crisis as a factor influencing that choice.
Bolus told db that nearly half of consumers liked the ability to curate their own atmosphere at home and that 58% enjoyed the quieter, more social environment of at-home drinking occasions.
Convenience with confidence
According to Bolus, RTDs are well placed to meet these expectations, with brands such as VK and AU Vodka offering flavour-led drinks designed for casual and flexible occasions. In that context, AU Vodka’s rise looks less like a novelty act and more like a sign of the times, where immediacy and branding carry as much weight as lineage.
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