So long, lugging! Buying beverages online is booming
18.6.2025
Translation: Jessica Johnson-Ferguson
From water to El Tony mate to Coca-Cola, an increasing number of customers are ordering drinks online. In 2024, Galaxus sold more than twice as many non-alcoholic beverages as in the previous year. And the sharp upward trend is ongoing in 2025.
While water and soft drinks used to be carted home from the supermarket, they’re now ending up in digital shopping carts instead. In other words, customers are increasingly outsourcing the heavy lifting, as illustrated by the countless milk cartons, plastic bottles and cans that are piled up in the Galaxus warehouses.
The online shop sold over 60% more non-alcoholic beverages in January to April 2025 than it did in the same time span the year before. Looking at the numbers in 2021 is even more impressive: in the last four years, sales of non-alcoholic beverages have grown more than sixfold.
Non-alcoholic drinks include milk and cream as well as water, soft drinks, sports drinks and coffee in various forms.
Women like milk (alternatives), men like soft drinks
Plant-based milk made from oats, almonds or soy are some of the best-selling beverages. Yuki Gasienica, the person in charge of the drinks range at Galaxus, has a theory on why cow milk alternatives are so popular: «Non-dairy milk goes really well in coffee or muesli. It’s also suitable for baking.» Women in particular are turning to lactose-free and vegan milk substitutes. Men tend to go for soft drinks, sports drinks and coffee-based beverages.
So it’s not surprising that products from these categories are best-selling items. The list is spearheaded by a Swiss product: El Tony Mate, a yellow caffeinated drink in a blue can. In second place, and almost as popular, is Oatly Barista oat milk from Sweden.
The top five most ordered beverages are all dairy milk alternatives and El Tony soft drinks. In the lower ranks, you’ll find various types of bottled water – both still and sparkling – soft drinks and pea milk.
Crates of drinks are ordered more online too. Convenience is key: customers no longer want to do any heavy schlepping if they can have water, cola or oat milk delivered to their door.
Do you order your favourite beverages online or do you prefer to pick them up yourself? Let us know in the comments!
Header image: Hariharan Jeganathan
Manuel Wenk
Communications Manager
Manuel.Wenk@digitecgalaxus.chAs a Multimedia Producer, preparing multimedia content and knowing about cutting-edge technology is my business. My main focus at digitec is producing videos. I can’t wait to try out new products such as cameras, drones or smartphones as soon as they’re launched. This is where being at the source comes in rather handy. When I’m not working, I’m probably skiing, biking or hiking – the mountains are my place to be.
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