Liquid conversations: Why drinking less alcohol is a trend in Australia
- Written by Justine Eltakchi
Guidelines recommend that healthy adults limit their intake to ten standard beverages per week and four daily but why not try swapping out one of those drinks for an alcohol-free one?
To reduce Australia’s alcohol consumption, Entrepreneur and mum of four, Irene Falcone launched non-alcoholic beer, wine and spirits online superstore Sans Drinks and brick-and-mortar bottle shop in Sydney. Irene recently commissioned research that highlights the country's attitude towards drinking and the results are fascinating.
“Some people are drinking less during the pandemic because they go to pubs less often. Some people are now drinking more at home. My mission is to disrupt the industry and it is, without a doubt, shifting,” says Irene.
Retailers claim that sales of alcohol-free beer have more than doubled over the past twelve months. This makes it one of their fastest-growing categories.
"Attitudes are changing now because non-alcoholic drinks are trendy, easy to find and relatively inexpensive. There is a huge wave coming now that non-alcoholic products are competing with sophisticated drink brands and more people are getting together without alcohol as a social lubricant,” says Irene.
A deep dive in the data shows;
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How have your drinking (alcohol) habits changed since having children? |
|
|
I drink more since having children |
11% |
|
I drink less since having children |
24% |
|
I just stopped drinking whilst I was pregnant |
7% |
|
I don’t have children |
35% |
|
None of the above |
26% |
|
Do you enjoy drinking alcohol? |
|
|
Yes |
77% |
|
No |
23% |
|
Why not? |
|
|
I struggle with hangovers |
10% |
|
It’s too expensive |
32% |
|
I don’t like the taste |
39% |
|
It has too many calories |
13% |
|
I’m worried about getting addicted |
8% |
|
I don’t like feeling drunk |
30% |
|
I lose control and do things I wouldn’t normally do |
11% |
|
None of the above |
27% |
|
Do you feel pressure to drink alcohol during social gatherings? |
|
|
Yes, I feel peer pressure from my mates |
11% |
|
Yes, I drink alcohol because everyone does |
17% |
|
Yes, I drink more because my partner drinks more |
4% |
|
No |
62% |
|
I don’t drink alcohol |
12% |
|
How many drinks would you normally have and consider yourself safe to drive? |
|
|
I don’t drink any alcohol if I plan on driving |
54% |
|
I do a self-assessment and if I feel OK, I will drive |
7% |
|
I closely monitor how much I drink when I am out |
24% |
|
I switch to non-alcoholic drinks so I can socialise longer |
6% |
|
I always have a designated driver |
9% |
|
How often have you done something you regret when under the influence of alcohol? |
|
|
Every time I drink |
2% |
|
Most times that I drink |
5% |
|
Occasionally |
43% |
|
Never |
49% |
|
Which of the following statements apply to you? |
|
|
I prefer alcohol to soft drinks because I’m an adult |
10% |
|
I would happily give up drinking altogether |
29% |
|
I wish I could drink more mindfully |
11% |
|
I enjoy alcohol (wine/beer/spirits) too much to quit |
22% |
|
None of the above |
36% |
|
Which of the following statements do you agree with? |
|
|
I have started drinking more since the pandemic started |
19% |
|
I have found myself drinking alone more since the pandemic |
22% |
|
Since the pandemic I now drink every night of the week |
8% |
|
I’ve been turning to alcohol to destress during the pandemic |
12% |
|
Boredom caused by lockdowns increased my alcohol consumption |
15% |
|
I’ve struggled to curb my drinking since the pandemic started |
4% |
|
I don’t drink alcohol |
42% |
