Alcoholic Beverage Consumption and Purchasing Trends 2024

The percent change in total volume for certain beverages and the percent change in premium-and-above alcohol volume in 2022, as reported by IWSR are listed below. The results in the chart show the increased risk of developing alcohol dependency (we show results for illicit drug dependency in our topic page on drug use) for someone with a given mental health disorder (relative to those without). For example, a value of 3.6 for bipolar disorder indicates that illicit drug dependency became more than three times more likely in individuals with bipolar disorder than those without. The risk of an alcohol use disorder is highest in individuals with intermittent explosive disorder, dysthymia, ODD, bipolar disorder, and social phobia. The charts show global consumption of spirits, which are distilled alcoholic drinks, including gin, rum, whisky, tequila, and vodka. In France in the 1920s, the average was 22.1 liters of pure alcohol per person per year.

1. More recent data indicates that « 63% of drinkers are concerned and active about sustainability/ sustainable products. »
2. Although those in lower income or educational status groups often drink less overall, they are more likely to have lower-frequency, higher-intensity drinking patterns.
3. Reasons as to why consumers participate in Dry January include « health benefits…whether that is about calorie control and weight management or just feeling better overall. » Other reasons for decreasing alcohol consumption are to save money and a change in social life.
4. Hasegawa, the following are examples of beer and food pairings based on the beer’s flavor profile.
5. There is no clear evidence that high overall consumption (particularly in moderate quantities) is connected to the onset of alcohol dependency.

Alcoholic beverage preference

When not diving into the world of merry-making, he puts his digital nomad lifestyle to work travel-writing about hidden culinary gems in Canada for National Geographic and about the happiest place on earth for Inside Hook. He also has authored three books, been a restaurant general manager and lived in a tent for three years in Alaska. Other sources indicate that more « lesser-known » European lagers like Belgian lagers, Czech lagers, and German smoked lagers will become prevalent. There were 11,282 wineries in the U.S. in 2021, of which 16% were categorized as small (5,000-49,999 cases produced annually), 33% very small (1,000 to 4,999 cases), and 48% with « limited production » (less than 1,000 cases). Overall, 33% of Americans said they had spent $50 or more on a bottle of alcohol in 2022, against just 24% in 2021. Furthermore, six in 10 online shoppers say they spend more on alcohol online than in-store.

Other statistics that may interest you Spirits market worldwide

This interactive chart shows the average share of household expenditure that is spent on alcohol. We also find correlates in drinking patterns when we look at groupings of income, education or work status. Although those in lower income or educational status groups often drink less overall, they are more likely to have lower-frequency, higher-intensity drinking patterns. Overall, these groups drink less, but a higher percentage will drink heavily when they do. Data on the share who don’t drink alcohol by gender and age group in the UK is available here. Again, the prevalence of drinking across North Africa and the Middle East is notably lower than elsewhere.

Alcohol use disorder treatment

Long-term premiumisation of spirits has boosted the category with evident crossover in RTDs as pre-mixed cocktails and spirit-based RTDs gain ground. Other trends include using alternative barrels, such as cherry wood and acacia, to age whiskey and cask crossbreeding, which is the process of « blending whiskey from different cask types…such as bourbon barrels with…sherry or wine casks. » For the wine industry, premiumization growth in wine occurs « particularly in the space between $15 and $24.99, which is the only segment of the wine market that is what is clonazolam growing. »

Spirit-based RTDs, hard teas and FABs show momentum however and premiumisation is evident across the RTD category as value increased by +6%. Total whisky category volumes (up +3% in 2022 vs 2021), surpassed vodka (less than +1% growth in 2022 vs 2021) last year for the first time in almost two decades. US whiskey holds the largest share of total whisky volumes, as well as percentage growth (+4%), with value increases led by bourbon which increased by +8%. Several industry sources mention consumer willingness to spend more on alcohol and are trading up and purchasing premium beverages.

While the growth rate for vodka was less than that of the other four liquors, sales by volume accounted for 78.1 million 9-Liter cases. In contrast, the sales volume for cocktails/RTDs, the next largest category, was 36.6 million cases. Still, other data indicated that in 2023, 52% of consumers aged 18 to 34 felt that « drinking in moderation is bad for your health, » an increase from 34% reported in 2018 for this age group. Fifteen percent of this age group indicated that alcohol was « not too harmful/not at all harmful » to those who consume it. When asked about marijuana consumption, 52% of participants aged 18-to-34-years responded that marijuana was « not too harmful/not at all harmful. » N.C. Solutions reported in January 2024 that, on average, consumers were « having three drinks per week, down from four per week in 2023. »  Gallup also reported that alcoholic beverage drinkers consumed « on average…four drinks in the past week, » in July 2023.

Of the states in the region, New York, Pennsylvania, and Virginia experienced the greatest increase in the number of wineries with growth rates of 14, 12, and 10%, respectively (Adams, 2022). High-income drinkers, earning over $150,000, were especially secure, and across all demographics, Millennials show more confidence than older drinkers. IWSR consumer data shows consumer spending and purchasing volume are up in 2022 vs 2021 in most tracked categories. Compared to wine and spirits, non-alcoholic beer « dominates » the no-alcohol category. Of the non-alcoholic beer available, non-alcoholic craft claims 28% of the share, and non-alcoholic domestic premium has a 16% share.