Moderation in Alcoholic Drinks: Exploring The Impact of Health and Responsible Drinking

Moderation in Alcoholic Drinks: Exploring The Impact of Health and Responsible Drinking

Introduction

The majority (60%) of European and the US consumers think that moderating alcohol content is important. This report identifies how moderation of alcohol and health concerns are increasingly influential consumer trends set to drive the market in the future. Marketers must understand key consumer drivers to profit from this strategic change.

Scope

Insightful social trends data highlighting the future direction of the alcoholic drinks market with regard to consumers' health concerns. Quantitative data highlighting the attitudes, values and behaviors of consumers segmented by various demographic factors. Detailed action points offering practical strategies based on the trends and insights analyzed in the report. Country coverage: France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, UK & US.

Highlights

European and US alcoholic beverage industry executives consider health to be the least important mega-trend. There is thus a possibility of dangerously underestimating the impact that health and moderation may have on future revenues especially considering that 76% of consumers report being ``conscious of health and wellness issues on a daily basis`` Calorie control has long been an important issue for consumers throughout Europe and the US. Presently, nearly two-thirds 65% of consumers overall across these two regions feel that controlling calorie intake is important to them. The proportional growth of obese population in western countries highlights why this issue retains such importance. In Europe and the US, Seniors (either 50-64 or 65+ age groups) are most likely to feel it is important to moderate alcohol intake. In France, Italy, Spain and Sweden this importance is turned into action most frequently.

Reasons to Purchase

Understand which health concerns matter most to consumers when buying alcoholic drinks and which attributes they seek first. Counter sales volume stagnation and decline by discovering the route to premiumization based on 'better-for-you' products. Learn how to correctly position alcoholic drinks to affectively target consumer health concerns.

DATAMONITOR VIEW 1
CATALYST 1
SUMMARY 1
ANALYSIS 2
TREND: Consumer interest in leading healthy lifestyles is escalating 3
Consumers are adopting a broader, more holistic approach to health 3
Consumers are taking more self-responsibility for their health 3
Consumers are adopting a broader wellness perspective towards living 4
Consumers are slowly beginning to more proactively seek healthier alcoholic drinks 5
TREND: Health concerns and responsible drinking initiatives are driving alcohol moderation 7
Complete abstinence from alcohol affects around one-third of consumers 8
Consumers have favorable attitudes towards alcohol moderation 9
The majority of alcohol intake in Europe is within the parameters of moderate consumption 10
Attitude-behavior gaps affect the moderation of alcohol 11
Italian and French consumers are some of the most inconsistent moderators 12
Alcohol moderation is a factor that explains limited volume gains in key western markets 13
INSIGHT: Socio-demographic factors heavily affect alcohol moderation propensities 14
Seniors place high importance on good health behaviors 14
Female consumers show marked attitude-behavior gaps in alcohol moderation 15
INSIGHT: A strong desire to limit calories is an important issue driving alcoholic drinks moderation and choices 17
The overwhelming majority of consumers are concerned about calorie control 17
Women care more about calorie control than men although the gender divide is closing 18
Age impacts attitudes to calorie control in various ways 20
Excess calories have long term weight gain implications 21
INSIGHT: Limiting alcohol intake is less prioritized than many other approaches associated with healthy lifestyles 21
Conclusions: health and moderation in alcoholic drinks 22
ACTIONS 23
ACTION: Pursue opportunities in the provision of 'better-for-you' alcoholic drink variants 23
Aid moderation with low alcohol content 23
Explore market opportunities for low calorie variants 24
Prepare for the decline of low 'carb' formulations 25
Champion product freshness 26
Product packaging and delivery must boost freshness credentials 27
Explore market opportunities for natural and organic variants 28
ACTION: Primarily target female and mature consumers with better-for-you alcoholic drinks 30
Create messages based on women's more complex and intimate approach to communication 30
Base humor orientated messages around the notion of shared identification 30
Support the empowerment of women with societal marketing 30
Target female friendly media 31
Create word-of-mouth marketing campaigns targeting female connectivity 31
Target health focused channels and outlets with better-for-you alternatives 32
Target Seniors' core values with your marketing concept 33
ACTION: Champion responsible drinking 34
Facilitate frequent non-binge drinking by education and small / re-sealable formats 34
APPENDIX 36
France 36
Germany 37
Italy 39
Netherlands 40
Spain 42
Sweden 43
UK 45
US 46
Definitions 48
Methodology 48
Further reading 48
Ask the analyst 48
Datamonitor consulting 49
Disclaimer 49
List of Tables
Table 1: Summary of responses of who respondents feel is responsible for ensuring protection from alcohol abuse, segmented by number of drinks usually consumed per consumption occasion, EU25, 2006 4
Table 2: Consumer survey: trends in European and US health-driven alcoholic drinks consumption, by country, 2006 6
Table 3: European and US consumers abstaining from alcohol by country (percentage and overall, millions), by country, 2006 8
Table 4: Consumer survey: attitudes to moderating alcohol intake by country, US & Europe, 2006 9
Table 5: Average consumption of alcoholic drinks per occasion, EU25, 2006 10
Table 6: Consumer survey: trends in European and US consumers' alcohol intake by country, 2006 11
Table 7: Variance in extent of attitude and behavior in moderating alcohol intake, US and Europe, 2006 13
Table 8: Average consumption of alcoholic drinks per occasion by gender & age, EU25, 2006 16
Table 9: Obese population as % of overall population by country, US & Europe, 2001-2011 17
Table 10: Consumer survey: attitudes towards controlling calorie intake by country, US & Europe, 2006 18
Table 11: Consumer survey: attitudes to controlling calorie intake by gender, US & Europe, 2006 19
Table 12: Consumer attitudes to controlling calorie intake by age group, US & Europe, 2006 20
Table 13: Consumer attitudes to moderating alcohol intake by gender, age group & household income, France, 2006 36
Table 14: Trends in consumers' alcohol intake by gender, age group & household income, France, 2006 36
Table 15: Trends in health-driven alcoholic drinks consumption by gender, age group & household income, France, 2006 37
Table 16: Consumer attitudes to moderating alcohol intake by gender, age group & household income, Germany, 2006 37
Table 17: Trends in consumers' alcohol intake by gender, age group & household income, Germany, 2006 38
Table 18: Trends in health-driven alcoholic drinks consumption by gender, age group & household income, Germany, 2006 38
Table 19: Consumer attitudes to moderating alcohol intake by gender, age group & household income, Italy, 2006 39
Table 20: Trends in consumers' alcohol intake by gender, age group & household income, Italy, 2006 39
Table 21: Trends in health-driven alcoholic drinks consumption by gender, age group & household income, Italy, 2006 40
Table 22: Consumer attitudes to moderating alcohol intake by gender, age group & household income, Netherlands, 2006 40
Table 23: Trends in consumers' alcohol intake by gender, age group & household income, Netherlands, 2006 41
Table 24: Trends in health-driven alcoholic drinks consumption by gender, age group & household income, Netherlands, 2006 41
Table 25: Consumer attitudes to moderating alcohol intake by gender, age group & household income, Spain, 2006 42
Table 26: Trends in consumers' alcohol intake by gender, age group & household income, Spain, 2006 42
Table 27: Trends in health-driven alcoholic drinks consumption by gender, age group & household income, Spain, 2006 43
Table 28: Consumer attitudes to moderating alcohol intake by gender, age group & household income, Sweden, 2006 43
Table 29: Trends in consumers' alcohol intake by gender, age group & household income, Sweden, 2006 44
Table 30: Trends in health-driven alcoholic drinks consumption by gender, age group & household income, Sweden, 2006 44
Table 31: Consumer attitudes to moderating alcohol intake by gender, age group & household income, UK, 2006 45
Table 32: Trends in consumers' alcohol intake by gender, age group & household income, UK, 2006 45
Table 33: Trends in health-driven alcoholic drinks consumption by gender, age group & household income, UK, 2006 46
Table 34: Consumer attitudes to moderating alcohol intake by gender, age group & household income, US, 2006 46
Table 35: Trends in consumers' alcohol intake by gender, age group & household income, US, 2006 47
Table 36: Trends in health-driven alcoholic drinks consumption by gender, age group & household income, US, 2006 47
List of Figures
Figure 1: Industry opinion highlights how the health trend has not historically been a big influencer of alcoholic drink purchases 2
Figure 2: Nine out of ten European and US consumers think it is important to improve their physical health 3
Figure 3: Wellness is best thought of not as a trend in its own right, but as a number of related trends and behaviors 5
Figure 4: Dutch consumers are least likely to choose alcoholic drinks with health considerations in mind 7
Figure 5: Southern Europeans think it is most important to moderate alcohol intake 10
Figure 6: German consumers were the least likely to have moderated their alcohol consumption in 2005-06 12
Figure 7: Seniors show significant attitude-behavior gaps in the moderation of alcohol 14
Figure 8: Men show a reduced attitude-behavior gap in relation to alcohol moderation 16
Figure 9: US and Italian consumers are particularly concerned about calorie intake 18
Figure 10: Women in the US and Europe care most about calorie intake 19
Figure 11: Freshness is becoming the consumer Über-preference in the US and Europe 22
Figure 12: C2 lager's positioning combines health, convenience and sociability 24
Figure 13: Reduced calorie products should extend into all alcoholic drinks categories 25
Figure 14: Low carb drinks need to communicate superior taste first and foremost 26
Figure 15: Visible natural freshness gives a product greater credibility 27
Figure 16: The numerous aspects of freshness are reassuring for consumers 28
Figure 17: Organic drinks already exist and should continue to grow in number 29
Figure 18: Other natural positionings exist beyond organic 29
Figure 19: Women are a key emerging segment to be targeted with vitamin enhanced and sweetened beers 32
Figure 20: Marketers should ensure that products and communications are aligned with five core values 33
Figure 21: Drinks brands must cater for a variety of consumer occasions 34