Distilleries and brewers are not happy about a recent poll showing that most youths are ditching alcoholic beverages. A sluggish economy and new tax tariffs have worsened the financial outlook for alcoholic beverage producers.
In a poll conducted in partnership with You Gov, the UK-based The Portman Group revealed dismaying news for the whisky industry. The report disclosed that “44% of 18—to 24-year-olds consider themselves occasional or regular drinkers of alcohol alternatives.”
“It is welcome to see a further rise in the popularity of low- and no-alcohol alternatives, as well as further evidence of how they are an important tool to help UK drinkers, particularly younger adults, to drink responsibly,” said Matt Lambert, CEO of The Portman Group.
Youth Ditches Whisky and Alcoholic Beverages
Although the news should not have surprised whisky makers, it was another blow to this year’s long chain of bad news. For six years in a row, more young consumers have moved away from alcoholic beverages. These are the most common reasons for their switch.
- Concerns over poor behavior at public gatherings
- Fear of causing traffic accidents
- 39% have become sober and no longer drink alcoholic beverages.
These public concerns have registered solid inroads in the alcohol-consuming market share. UK drinkers are consuming less,
- 23% said their consumption decreased, compared with 21% in 2022.
- 35% consider themselves an occasional or regular drinker of alcohol alternatives, up from 29% last year.
“The availability of alcohol alternatives has never been more abundant, and we eagerly await the outcome of the recent UK government consultation on low-alcohol descriptors, which we hope will further facilitate the growth of the UK low- and no-alcohol market,” Lambert said.
Some distilleries are reducing production to lower the economic impact a greater decrease in consumption could have. So far this year, Diageo, Brown-Forman, and Pernod Ricard have closed distilleries to roll back production.
