Abbie Baisden
Global Content Manager
Britons don’t need a special occasion to have a drink, a new survey by Maxus has found.
The Drinking Code, a study conducted by Maxus that analyses the responses of over 6,500 drinkers from the UK, Germany, India, Australia, America and China has found that only one in five British respondents reserve having an alcoholic beverage for ‘special occasions’. In fact, as reported in The Times, Britain had the most liberal attitude to alcohol in almost every measure.
Two-thirds of Britons admit to drinking alcohol at least to twice a week, compared to only 55% of American respondents who in general were much more modest in their alcohol consumption.
Similarly, one night in the pub a week is normal for a third of Brits, compared to only a quarter of other respondents (as reported in The Daily Mail), and our own Nick Vale thinks he knows exactly why:
“From the malmsey wine of the 14th century to the craft gin producers of today, we Brits have a long and distinguished heritage of creating, sourcing and enjoying the best drink in the world.
“Why? Because we British are a hugely sociable nation, we love to chat, and booze facilitates that. The pub gives us somewhere to meet and alcohol helps lubricate our conversation.” (As seen in The Independent)
The study also identified that drinking with others signifies a strong bond, as nearly half of adults said they would only drink alcohol if they were with people they trust, rising to 53% among those in their early 20’s.
That doesn’t mean that their drink order will be determined by the crowd, however, as ‘individual preference’ is the number one driver of alcohol brand choice for 50% of consumers, followed by ‘whatever others around me are drinking’ (20%).
Nick Vale continues: “Drinks makers often focus on things like habit, heritage and tradition, but at the same time they often want us to try something new. Special occasions and nights out may seem to be their best bet for getting people away from their usual tipple and trying something different.”
Whether drinking at home or out with friends, 51% of under 35’s agreed that they enjoyed trying new alcoholic beverages and mixes, and with new brands and products hitting the market every day it’s an exciting time for connoisseur consumers and brands alike, but moderation is key.
Over half of our respondents (52%) believed that alcohol presents a problem to society, reaching 65% and 63% in Germany and Australia respectively, indicating that consumers are becoming more selective about when, where and with whom they drink. This is not all bad news for alcohol brands, as it offers opportunity to appeal to consumers who may be drinking less frequently, but are looking for a higher quality experience. Premium, limited edition and unique beverages may appeal to this growing market of health-conscious consumers.
For more information and the full Drinking Code report please contact Chief Development Officer, Richard Stokes.
