ABSTAINING IN STYLE THE COUNTRY’S INESTIMABLE THIRST FOR BOOZE IS RUNNING DRY AS BEING FIT AND SOBER IS THE NEW MUST HAVE. A Kolibri Drinks Case Study | October 2018 kolibridrinks.co.uk ABSTAINING IS A GROWING TREND – THE FACTS It is all in the numbers and now we know for sure that around the world, alcohol consumption is either static or in decline and that tee-totalism is on the increase. Although enjoying a Friday night post-work drink, celebrating a marriage with a glass of bubbly and savouring the perfect red is not going to disappear, the millennial generation in particular, are showing that alcohol does not need to be obligatory at every social occasion. It will be no bad thing if the Brits’ raucous drinking habits, which have frequently spiralled out of control with football hooliganism or swarming party towns with inebriated tourists are consigned to the past. Once, a good night out was measured by how little you could remember the next day but as we move away from that mindset, it is no longer appropriate or acceptable to be drunk and disorderly. Previously a lunchtime business meeting would have been accompanied by a glass of wine or a swift pint, but many now feel unprofessional ordering alcohol while conducting business. This new attitude is a far cry from even ten years ago, let alone the Decade of Decadence (aka the eighties) but public awareness has brought a positive change. The global picture on the decline of alcohol consumption is varied in terms of the types of alcohol consumed. Overall volumes are declining, particularly if you look at consumption over several decades. According to the IWSR (the world’s leading authority on beverage alcohol data and analysis) global consumption which had been declining by 1.3% recovered in 2017 and grew, but only by a meagre 0.01%, in volume terms. A small amount of growth is forecast to continue but the mix will change as beer continues to decline but growth is led by whisky. There is plenty of evidence that consumers are drinking ‘quality’ rather than quantity and according to Diageo quoted in the FT “Per capita consumption of alcohol in the developed world has been dropping for 30 years. However, there is a clear and sustained trend of consumers drinking better — not more. www.kolibridrinks.co.uk This is supported in the IWSR data with the growth of global spirits, particularly whisky, gin and tequila.” Health concerns around the world are also impacting on levels of alcohol consumption as young people, in particular, are turning their backs on the ‘boozy’ lifestyle enjoyed by their parents. Time magazine reports that over the past 30 years, the number of teens who drink in Germany has dropped by half and in Australia, alcohol consumption is at its lowest since the early 1960s. There are however marked differences between countries. Although in Europe, the overall trend is for declining alcohol consumption, the Lithuanians are bucking the trend with their annual consumption in 2016 actually going up by 3.3 litres per person. This may be partly due to the culture as it neighbours a group of countries where people are more predisposed to drinking larger amounts, but infrequently and most of this is drunk at home. But in southern European countries (often wine producing) most people drink little and often because it revolves around food and socialising. As Ben Groundwater, Australian blogger and travel writer, aptly puts it “Booze is an accompaniment, not an objective”. Most European governments have made alcohol less attractive with higher pricing, reduced availability or specific marketing to nudge consumer behaviour. But now consumers seem to have had a genuine change of heart and are choosing not to drink alcohol. Within the UK, the trends away from alcohol are particularly clear. The latest ONS statistics1 show that 1 in 5 consider themselves as teetotal and this rises to 1 in 3 in London. It is particularly marked within the 16-24 age group with 22% not drinking, although the biggest increase in sobriety since 2005 has been in the 25-44 group. The next generation, sometimes called generation Z or iGen, look as though they will continue with this trend as a focus on clean living becomes more aspirational. Figure 2: The proposition (%) of adults who reported not drinking at all by age, Great Britain, 2005 and 2017. 40 30 20 10 0 16 to 24 25 to 44 45 to 64 65 and over All aged 16 and over 2005 2017 Source: Opinions and Lifestyle Survey and General Household Survey; Office for National Statistics. 1 ONS survey 2017 www.kolibridrinks.co.uk BUT WHY DRINK LESS, OR NOTHING AT ALL? The main reason often cited for drinking less is for health benefits. Millennials, in particular, are taking control of what goes into their bodies. We have seen the growth in vegetarian and vegan diets and even if being ‘flexitarian’ is a more achievable version, almost everyone has their own dietary ‘thing’ which is followed to improve health and wellbeing. More education about the number of calories in alcoholic drinks, particularly wine, has had an impact too as, despite the often touted potential benefits of antioxidants, it is seen as safer to stick to sparkling water if you are watching your weight. The fear of putting ourselves at higher risk of chronic illness through drinking too much is also constantly in the headlines. In April 2018 The Guardian referred to a Lancet paper which recommended the lowering of the current daily recommended limits for alcohol consumption. It suggested a maximum of five 175ml glasses of wine or five pints a week (about 12.5 units total) to avoid increasing the risk of strokes, heart attacks and early death. In August 2018 a new global study from the Lancet analysed data from over 195 countries and included hundreds of research studies and found that there is ‘no safe limit for alcohol consumption.’ The study showed that drinking is the leading cause of disability for those aged 15-49 and alcohol-related problems result in deaths of ~2% of women and ~7% of men every year. To tackle this, the study recommends that governments and health bodies amend their guidelines on drinking, particularly in regards to them suggesting there are health benefits to be gained from moderate drinking. If this is implemented it would mean another change to the UK recommended safe limits which in 2016 were cut for men to make it the same as women, 14 units per week. This came after research showing that even small increases in the amount alcohol drunk could increase the risk of breast cancer and bowel cancer. With news like this and an increased interest in health, it’s no wonder that we see younger generations less interested in drinking and more interested in working on their personal fitness. In a wide-ranging report about millennial behaviour from Eventbrite, it is noted that millennials are becoming more conscious about their fitness, with one in five going to more fitness classes than they used to. But it’s not just about working out, if you are taking part in so much healthy activity you have less time and inclination to spend time drinking in a bar or pub. Attitudes towards drinking are changing. Perhaps unfairly termed ‘generation sensible’ drinking to get drunk is no longer seen as being cool. As quoted in The Observer, Mintel’s Alcoholic Drinks review found that 47% of the 25-34s surveyed thought that www.kolibridrinks.co.uk getting drunk was ‘uncool’. An even bigger number claimed the same in the survey from Eventbrite which also showed how it is far cooler to be part of the sober brigade, “seven in ten would rather brag about how long it’s been since they were last drunk, rather than how much they’ve drunk”. They are also aware of the impact that alcohol and possible addiction can have on their mental health. In recent times the effects that alcohol and substance abuse can have on mental health have become more well-known. This has caused people to steer clear of alcohol when struggling with their mental health, instead of using it as a crutch. There are also very practical reasons for drinking less. If you are saving up to have some chance to get your own place, economies have to be made and so reducing your spend on alcohol can only help. Even if getting on the property ladder is a distant dream, millennials and young people are far more likely to spend money on experiences which provide great memories than physical goods. They spend money going to music festivals, food festivals, immersive experiences or wellness events but alcohol and drinking are not the primary motivations for going. Some commentators have suggested that it is the inspiration of sober celebrities that have also influenced the younger generations in cutting back on their drinking or even abstaining completely. While this may not be top of mind, there is no doubt that social media and reality TV form part of the fabric of life today and the impact of these influencers should not be discounted. SOBER CELEBS – YES WE ARE WATCHING YOU! It has never been more fashionable to be a non-drinking celeb. Granted, there are many reasons celebrities have started to turn away from alcohol, but many made the change simply to be able to put a more positive focus on other areas of their lives. For Andy Murray, it was his determination to get as far as he could in tennis which helped him make the decision.