Mid-strength and low-alcohol brands skyrocket in sales
AUSTRALIANS are turning away from heavy booze and moving towards low alcohol drinks and teetotaller friendly beers, wines and spirits to quench their thirst.
NSW
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AUSTRALIANS are shunning their hard-drinking image and becoming a nation of teetotallers who are increasingly turning to low and non-alcoholic beverages at record levels.
Non-alcoholic beer sales have jumped 57 per cent to $35.5 million over the past five years, having been driven by zero-alcohol beer Birell — made by Coopers — and the German beer Bitburger Drive.
Over the same period, the average alcohol consumption in Australia has dropped from 157.5 litres per person to 153 litres last year, with mid-strength beer sales also skyrocketing.
The statistics, from Euromonitor International’s Alcoholic Drinks In Australia report, predicts non-alcoholic beer brewing in Australia will quadruple from two million litres in 2003 to 12 million litres by 2022.
Mid-strength beer has become one of the fastest-growing industry segments as a share of revenue over the past five years, with IBISWorld stats showing it now comprises 14.1 per cent of the beer market.
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Nielsen research shows the shift towards lighter beers and teetotal-friendly drinks is being put down to Millennials aged 18 to 34 who are opting for healthier choices, better value for money and reputations.
“Sixty-two per cent of millennial drinkers will purposefully avoid buying a product or service from a specific company, because of concerns about its impact on the environment,” Nielsen Consumer & Media associate director Sonia Marine told The Saturday Telegraph.
“In addition, Millennials look for value but they also rate health factors such as low carb, low calories, vitamin-fortified and organic as very important.”
Nielsen’s survey data shows during a calendar month 53 per cent of Millennials drink alcohol, compared to 72 per cent of Baby Boomers — with the “baby boozers” category aged 55 and over preferring a tipple due to higher disposable incomes.
Mainstream beer brands including Asahi, Becks and Heineken now make no-alcohol brews while Edenvale Wines makes only alcohol-free wines.
Builder Aaron Vaughan said he drank mid-strength beer so he could socialise for longer.