The Changing Landscape of Alcohol Consumption
Opinion Advocates for ideas and draws conclusions based on the author/producer’s interpretation of facts and data.
We are a nation of ever-changing lifestyles, fads and of-the-moment hot products. The ubiquitous presence of smartphones, myriad apps and information sources at our fingertips has catapulted us into a society easily drawn into the newest trends and influencers.
At times, it is difficult to discern fleeting interests from lasting change. Since the introduction of smartphones, many in-vogue behaviors have flamed out, only to be replaced by new consumer fireworks as the next trends and behaviors.
Lately, I’ve been hearing rumblings of a new trend, this time as it relates to consumer consumption of beverages – alcoholic beverages. The consumption of no- or low-alcohol beverages is rising, at the expense of traditionally higher-alcohol beverages.
The question for me is whether these changes are a new, deep-rooted lifestyle, a sea change in the drinking patterns of our nation’s multiple drinking-age generations. These rumblings are being borne in statistics I’ve been following. I have a natural penchant for statistics, evolving from my long career in finance. I’ve also come to understand that statistics, evaluated in a vacuum, may be misleading, identifying fleeting fads rather than longer-period trends.
With this perspective, I dove headlong into what I’ve culled from various beverage industry polls, sales reports, demographic patterns and other fact-based studies. Herewith my observations from parsing reported trends versus lifestyle. Let me know your thoughts. Fleeting trends or embedded lifestyle changes?
- The statistics. While low-alcohol beer has been in the market for a number of years, other low-alcohol beverages are picking up a head of steam. Sales in this category, while still a small segment of the market, have surged five-fold in just the last two years. Did you enjoy the Heineken 00 beer commercial during the Super Bowl? Have you seen newly-introduced Seedlip or Ritual Zero Proof, de-alcoholized spirits, on your retailer’s shelf? Have you purchased any of the low-alcohol wines that have been available for several years? Fleeting trends or embedded lifestyle changes?
- Generational impact. Clearly, baby boomers (born from 1946 to 1964) introduced a new era of consuming alcoholic beverages. Post Prohibition and post World War II, Americans had a predilection for the good things in life. Boomers embraced this trend. Sales of wine, scotch, clear and brown spirits increased dramatically as this generation spent growing amounts of disposable income on alcoholic beverages.
But time is catching up with them. The older boomers are now in their 70s and have begun to spend less on alcohol or are consuming less for medical reasons. But what of the generations after them? Generation X (1965-1980) seems to be continuing the early boomer preferences. However, millennials (1981-1996) have developed a healthier approach to diet and lifestyle, consuming more natural foods and less alcohol. Generation Z (1997-2012) are just coming of age, but are more focused on a healthy lifestyle, including less alcohol, than their predecessor generations.
Just look at a typical restaurant menu. Boomers tend to focus on the appeal of unique combination of ingredients in a dish, while younger generations focus more on the combination of abbreviations (GF, V, VG, DF, etc.) associated with each dish. Fleeting trends or embedded lifestyle changes?
- Changing view of wine. Boomers embrace the health benefits of moderate wine consumption. Millennials and Gen Zers increasingly focus on the dangers of any alcohol consumption. Having participated in Dry January (once), I am leaning toward the camp of less is better; however, I’m not joining any temperance movement. The alcoholic beverage industry is beginning to cater to the preferences of the younger generations. No- and low-alcohol wine, beer and spirits are surging in the marketplace. Fleeting trends or embedded lifestyle changes?
- Evolving diets. The Mediterranean diet lent credence to a balanced diet of healthy food integrated with moderate consumption of wine. Today, there are multitudes of diets that have introduced vegetables and fruits previously unfamiliar to boomers, but which are now prevalent in supermarkets and restaurants as the younger generations focus on these foods, sans alcohol. Fleeting trends or embedded lifestyle changes?
As diets and alcohol preferences are changing, the question is whether these are a short-term phenomenon or the beginning of a new normal. More so, could we be on the verge of a new temperance movement in the United States? I’ll be watching closely.
Nick Antonaccio is a 45-year Pleasantville resident. For over 25 years, he has conducted wine tastings and lectures. Nick is a member and program director of the Wine Media Guild of wine journalists. He also offers personalized wine tastings and wine travel services. Nick’s credo: continuous experimenting results in instinctive behavior. You can reach him at nantonaccio@theexaminernews.com or on Twitter @sharingwine.
