Alcohol Industry Braces for 50% Consumption Drop by 2050
Roland Berger predicts global alcohol consumption will halve by 2050. Rising prices and sober youth threaten the sector.
English · Original discussion in Spanish · Published
The alcohol industry prepares for a 50% drop in consumption
Consultancy Roland Berger has quantified what many suspect: global alcohol consumption will halve by 2050. This figure surprises no one observing how young people drink less, older adults have reduced intake, and nightlife is losing momentum. However, the causes are not uniform.
Price, health, or poverty: what is killing the bar counter?
The economic argument is strong: a drink can cost 14 euros, and a cubata equals the price of a video game from four years ago. With inflation and youth precarity, many choose to stay home with consoles. But it is not just about money. Awareness of alcohol's effects has grown: more people consider it "poison" and embrace fitness. Alcohol addiction, normalized for decades, is now seen as a problem. Some note that those over 50 have drunk their share and now reduce intake, while youth opt for energy drinks like Monster.
The premium mirage
Major brands try to counter volume drops with price hikes and premium products. But consumers are becoming more rational: bottles of Cointreau at 20 euros or house-brand tequilas are alternatives. The CEO of Diageo, for example, must be watching accounts with concern. The strategy of squeezing loyal customers may work short-term but does not stop the structural trend.
Farewell to the drinking culture?
Socializing is changing: fewer party nights, more video games, more antiestéticar of street insecurity. Even those defending moderate consumption admit they have reduced it drastically. The lingering question: if alcohol trinc the path of tobacco, will we see bars close as fast as cigarettes fade? Or will the industry reinvent itself before the bottle is half empty?
Related forum debates
Consultancy Roland Berger has quantified what many suspect: global alcohol consumption will halve by 2050. This figure surprises no one observing how young people drink less, older adults have reduced intake, and nightlife is losing momentum. However, the causes are not uniform.
Price, health, or poverty: what is killing the bar counter?
The economic argument is strong: a drink can cost 14 euros, and a cubata equals the price of a video game from four years ago. With inflation and youth precarity, many choose to stay home with consoles. But it is not just about money. Awareness of alcohol's effects has grown: more people consider it "poison" and embrace fitness. Alcohol addiction, normalized for decades, is now seen as a problem. Some note that those over 50 have drunk their share and now reduce intake, while youth opt for energy drinks like Monster.
The premium mirage
Major brands try to counter volume drops with price hikes and premium products. But consumers are becoming more rational: bottles of Cointreau at 20 euros or house-brand tequilas are alternatives. The CEO of Diageo, for example, must be watching accounts with concern. The strategy of squeezing loyal customers may work short-term but does not stop the structural trend.
Farewell to the drinking culture?
Socializing is changing: fewer party nights, more video games, more antiestéticar of street insecurity. Even those defending moderate consumption admit they have reduced it drastically. The lingering question: if alcohol trinc the path of tobacco, will we see bars close as fast as cigarettes fade? Or will the industry reinvent itself before the bottle is half empty?
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Summary of a discussion on Burbuja.info - Foro de economía, actualidad y política., translated from Spanish and reviewed before publication. Read the full discussion (214 replies).
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