Diageo has set an ambition for Smirnoff Ice to reclaim its position as Britain’s top-selling RTD, following years of sales declines.
With retail sales of £18.2m, the lemon-flavoured alcopop is currently the fourth top-selling RTD in UK grocery, behind Jack Daniel’s & Coke (£30.9m), WKD Blue (£28.4m) and Diageo stablemate Gordon’s Premium Pink (£21.9m) [NIQ 52 w/e 22 February 2025].
Smirnoff Ice was positioned as an alternative to beer when it first hit shelves in 1999. In 2002, Diageo threw £14m behind a TV marketing push for the tipple, ‘As clear as your conscience’ and added a spin-off, Black Ice, targeted at male lager drinkers.
Diageo introduced a 300ml can format for both variants in 2003, in a bid to steal shelf space and sales from beer brands. Smirnoff Ice then gained viral traction in the 2010s thanks to a drinking game known as ‘icing’, where players hide a bottle of the drink for unsuspecting friends to find and drink.
In recent years, however, Smirnoff Ice had become the “sleeping giant of our portfolio”, admitted Diageo RTD category marketing manager Nin Taank.
Smirnoff Ice sales have dropped by 11.7% in the past year alone [NIQ 52 w/e 24 February 2024 vs 52 w/e 22 February 2025].
“We want to reclaim our position as the number one RTD,” said Taank.
Diageo plans to revive the brand with a £1.9m investment in 2025, including a “massive festivals plan” this summer, he revealed.
The plans come after Diageo transitioned the 4% abv drink into 250ml cans in September, when it expressed its intention to “reconnect Smirnoff Ice with loyal customers and attract new shoppers”.
“The modern makeover brings a vibrant energy to the product and celebrates the citrus flavour notes that people know and love,” said Smirnoff marketing head Jessica Lace at the time.
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