Almost three in four people are drinking less alcohol in APAC

More people are shying away from alcoholic drinks in Asia-Pacific, according to new research from GlobalData.

Approximately three out of four people in the region said they were drinking less alcohol in August 2020, GlobalData said, and a third are likely to replace them with products that claimed to have a positive health impact.

“APAC consumers are turning away from alcohol-driven by concerns around physical and mental health,” GlobalData consumer analyst Carmen Bryan said.

“While general health concerns take precedence, back by almost half (49 percent) of the region’s population, weight management, fitness, physical appearance, and emotional wellbeing are all considerable factors driving low or no-alcohol innovations.”

Around 20 percent of people in the region have stopped drinking alcohol altogether. Much of these changes have been driven by the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, according to Bryan, as pubs and bars were shut down and people were forced to reassess their own priorities and lifestyles while in lockdown.

“Trends are shaping new home-bound leisure and social occasions where consumers seek the same taste and feel of mature drinks without the negative implications,” Bryan said.

“It will be crucial for brands to blur these lines further, emphasizing the positive health credentials that will help reassure consumers, both mentally and physically, to tap into multiple consumption occasions and justify a potentially higher price mark up.”