So much for the theory that when times get tough, people drink more.
That surprising statistic comes from Josh Gillon, ceo, What If Media Group, which surveyed about 50,000 people. Those between 20-29 get back even more: 62.9% say they consumed less alcohol that a year ago.
Gillon suspects that’s because bars and similar social venues were closed in many states during the Covid pandemic. With the economy reopening, and more than 50% of adults being completely vaccinated, he suspects we’ll see a return to normal drinking patterns.
But his survey also found that the 20-29 age group is more likely than most to be open to healthier alcohol options, including drinks with fewer calories, carbs and even low- or no-alcohol.
Gillon’s company helps companies market, and he notes there is a clear opportunity for marketers and advertisers to tap into health-related concerns within this group. Despite this, 53.8% of those aged between 20 and 29 report never or rarely having seen either online or TV ads for new low or non-alcoholic adult beverages–a clear gap in the market when it comes to matching buyer intent.
Additionally, age seems to be the best predictor of these preferences: while men are significantly more likely than women to make a new year’s resolution to drink less alcohol (45.3% compared to 37.9%), approximately 60% of both men and women have no interest in trying healthier alternatives.
This pattern also holds true when it comes to eating throughout the pandemic: while 28.1% of all consumers reported that staying at home had led to them eating more healthily, younger consumers were by far the largest cohort to do so: Some 35.7% of those 19 and under-reported dietary improvements, along with 28.5% of 20-29-year-olds. That compares favorably to the next three age decades, with only those over 60 improving their diet at a higher rate than the youngest respondents.