Brand familiarity is the most important factor in how U.S. tequila drinkers choose a bottle, ahead of price and additive-free claims, according to “Tequila’s 10% Problem,” a comprehensive new national consumer study from The Tequila Report. 

When buying tequila for themselves, 72% of respondents say familiarity with a brand matters some  or a lot, first among 12 attributes tested. Price follows at 64%, positive online information at 56%  and additive-free claims at 55%. Three-quarters of respondents have heard of additive-free tequila. 

“Craft tequila does not need more brands explaining why they are better,” Dave Wiley, research director of The Tequila Report, said in a news release. “It needs more drinkers to be able to name the one they want next.” 

The 41-page report, sponsored by PKGD Group, is built on an original survey of 1,000 U.S. adults ages 21 and older who drink tequila at least monthly, paired with The Tequila Report’s analysis of retail scan data. 

“There’s plenty of data on what sells. We wanted to understand why people buy,” Jay Baer, editor and co-founder of The Tequila Report, who developed the study with Wiley and publisher and co-founder Maddie Jager, said. 

Among the report’s findings: 

Why “Tequila’s 10% Problem”  

The report classifies 181 brands as craft: they do not use industrial diffusers, declare their tequilas are made without additives, and sell fewer than 200,000 nine-liter cases annually in retail scan data. Those brands grew dollar sales 18.6% in the 52 weeks ending Aug. 29, 2026, while all other brands fell 5.4%. 

Even so, craft accounts for 9.7% of tequila retail scan dollars. Its next stage of growth depends on people who currently choose other tequilas. The survey was designed to understand those drinkers: what they value, what they spend and whose recommendations they trust. 

Where spending tops out  

Eighty-two percent of blanco tequila buyers typically spend $50 or less for a 750ml bottle, and median spending is $40. Nearly half of respondents have bought a bottle costing $100 or more, but only about one in 10 typically spends that much on any tequila. 

Among surveyed drinkers, 19% buy no añejo and 25% buy no extra añejo. 

The bar outsells the shelf  

Thirty-two percent of respondents say bartender or server recommendations influence which tequila they try or buy, compared with 17% who cite retail employees. Both rank ahead of every paid advertising channel tested. 

Friends and family are the most commonly cited influence, at 47%. Fifty-nine percent have researched a tequila online before buying it. 

Celebrity appeal splits by age  

Sixty-four percent of respondents say celebrity ownership does not matter at all, and 20% say it matters some or a lot. The gap by age is wide: about 31% of drinkers under 40 say celebrity ownership matters, compared with 5% of those 60 and older. 

Regular drinkers are drinking more  

Thirty-five percent of respondents say they’re drinking more tequila than a year ago, compared with 9% who say they’re drinking less. Among respondents ages 21-29, 53% say they’re drinking more. 

That runs against the broader trend. A recent 2026 Gallup poll found that 54% of U.S. adults say  they drink alcohol, matching the record low it recorded in 2025. 

Shots nearly match cocktails  

Sixty-one percent of respondents often or almost always drink tequila as a shot, nearly matching the 64% who drink it in cocktails such as margaritas. Forty percent often or almost always drink it neat. Among drinkers ages 21-29, 73% regularly take shots. 

Women are more likely than men to drink tequila in cocktails, 72% versus 57%. Men are more likely to drink it neat, 47% versus 32%. 

Cannabis competes for the cutback  

Among respondents who say they’re drinking less tequila, 18% say they’re using cannabis instead. By comparison, 11% are switching to other spirits, beer or wine, and 6% to hard seltzer or canned cocktails. 

“For decades, tequila competed primarily with the bottle next to it on the shelf,” Baer said. “Now it is also competing with entirely different ways people relax and socialize.”

Market context  

The report’s retail analysis also finds that shoppers bought a record 290.5 million bottles of tequila in the 52 weeks ending Aug. 29, 2026, up 5.9%, while dollar sales fell 3.5% to $5.29 billion. Average spending per bottle fell from $21.37 to $18.21 over two years. Reposado was the only expression to grow dollar sales, up 2.1%. 

The complete report is available to download free HERE   

About the Study  

Sponsored by PKGD Group, The Tequila Report’s “Tequila’s 10% Problem” draws on a national survey of 1,000 U.S. adults ages 21 and older who drink tequila at least monthly and on retail scan data. The survey was conducted in August 2026 and weighted to the 2020 U.S. Census on age, region, gender and ethnicity.  Consumption changes and spending habits are self-reported. Retail analysis uses data for periods ending Aug.  29, 2026. The full report includes the methodology and the list of 181 brands classified as craft. 

The study is not directly comparable to The Tequila Report’s 2025 research, “Only the Differentiated Survive,” which surveyed engaged enthusiasts rather than the broader tequila-drinking public. 

Read more: House of Rare Tequila Launches Core Range

About The Tequila Report  

Founded by Jay Baer and Maddie Jager, The Tequila Report is a digital magazine and email newsletter for tequila consumers and industry professionals. It publishes news, independent reviews, producer interviews, buying guides, market analysis and original research. Its free newsletter reaches more than 67,000 subscribers twice a week. The Tequila Report will host the Craft Tequila Conference for brand owners in Las Vegas, Feb. 21-23, 2027. For more information, visit https://www.tequilareport.com and https://www.tequilaconference.com.