New data reveals that full-strength beer is the preferred ‘amber fluid’ for Australians who drink beer.
According to Roy Morgan’s Alcohol Consumption Report, over a third of all surveyed Australians aged 18-plus, (34.6%), drink beer in an average four weeks including at least one of the three varieties of full-strength, mid-strength and low-alcohol beer.
Nearly a third of surveyed Australians aged 18-plus (30.2%) consumed full-strength beer in an average four weeks in 2020. This was down 3.1% points from 2019 (33.3%). Roy Morgan, however, says this is not surprising as the pandemic hit the hospitality industry heavily and kept many pubs, clubs, bars and restaurants closed for an extended period.
In comparison 8.6% of surveyed Australians consumed mid-strength beer (down 2.2% points on 2019) and 2.8% (down 1.1% points) had low-alcohol beer in an average four weeks during 2020.
Roy Morgan CEO Michele Levine says the enforced closure of hospitality venues such as pubs, hotels and bars during the nationwide and extended Victorian lockdowns during 2020 had a big impact on Australian drinking habits with beer looking to “bounce back” during 2021.
“The drinking habits of Australians were heavily impacted by the restrictions imposed due to the Covid-19 pandemic during 2020 with number of Australians consuming wine, spirits and RTDs increasing while the number drinking beer decreased,” she says.
“However, by ‘share of alcohol volume consumed’ beer remains the clear leader and represented well over 40% of all alcohol consumed by Australians during 2020 – nearly as much as the alcohol volume of wine and spirits combined.”
Men vs women
Men are the main consumers of beer with over half (52.4%) of male respondents consuming beer in 2020 compared to 17.5% of women. The ratio is very similar for full-strength beer with nearly half of men respondents, 45.9%, consuming full-strength beer in 2020 compared to 15.2% of women.
Less than one-in-seven men (13.9%) drink mid-strength beer and 4.6% drink low-alcohol beer. Even fewer women (3.5%) drink mid-strength beer and just 1.1% of women drink low-alcohol beer.
Full strength the true winner
According to Roy Morgan, full-strength beer is “heavily preferred” by Australian beer drinkers of all ages. Over a third of 18-24-year-olds (33.9%), 25-34-year-olds (34.2%) and a third of 35-49-year-olds (33.3%) drink full-strength beer. Around a quarter (25.7%) of Australians aged 50-plus drink full-strength beer.
Perhaps more mindful of protecting their health, says Roy Morgan, Australians aged 50-plus are “more likely” to drink mid-strength beer (9.4%) and low-alcohol beer (3.9%) than any of the younger age groups.