1. Introduction: The changing alcohol landscape among people in their 20s
This year was another hot summer, living up to predictions by Japan’s Meteorology Agency. Summer has always been synonymous with being a season when “beer” is particularly delicious, and it’s a time when you often see TVCMs where people are gulping down beer deliciously on TV etc.
The way beer is consumed appears to be changing significantly among young people. No, to be more precise, it isn’t just beer – the way alcohol including other types of beverages and the alcohol landscape are all changing. At izakaya pubs, the somewhat overbearing way of ordering “a draught beer for everyone please” is a thing of the past, with it natural now for people to have whatever they want – sours, highballs, non-alcoholic beverages etc. – and to raise their glasses more savvily. This article will take a look at this changing alcohol landscape with a focus on young people in their 20s.
First, let’s look at the shift in the proportion of people who don’t drink alcohol at home and when out (at establishments). According to an independent survey by INTAGE, the number of people who don’t drink both at home and when out (at establishments) has been increased over the 10 years from 2013 to 2023 (Fig.1).
Fig.1
On examination of the proportion who do not drink alcohol at home, 31.6% of the total (20s~60s) respond they do not drink at home, with this up 7.7 points. Among those in their 20s, this has increased 7.1 points over the past 10 years, with 35.2% apparently not drinking alcohol at home in 2023.
The non-drinking rate when out (at establishments) increased sizably from 2020~2022 due to the impact of covid, highlighting the fact people distanced themselves from places where alcohol was available. The return to places serving alcohol has been slow even in 2023 and has not returned to pre-covid levels. On observation by age group, this recovery trend appears somewhat strong among those in their 20s. On envisaging the changes to consumers’ lives during the covid crisis, eating out was curbed to prevent infection. There were also price hikes with a variety of products and services due to the rising cost of raw materials and transportation, and a tendency to cut back on eating out. The increased importance of time at home may also be a factor here.
2. Trends re. drinking at home among people in their 20s: The rise of sours and highballs
People are increasingly “shifting away from alcohol”. So how is the way people in their 20s drink alcohol changing? Let’s examine this from in terms of the types of alcohol they drink in two settings – “drinking at home” and “drinking when out (at establishments)”.
Firstly, let’s examine drinking at home. On observation of the alcohol normally drunk at home by people in their 20s in the 2023 survey results, 67.4% responded “Sour/Chuhai” ranking it at first place. In fact, Sour/Chuhai was already at first place in 2013, with it closely followed at a difference of 0.3 points with second place “Beer/Low-malt beer/third beer”. In 2023 it was a sizable 25.6 points ahead of second place Beer, giving the impression the main star among those in their 20s has shifted to Sour/Chuhai over the past 10 years. Highballs have also become more popular over the past 10 years, ranking fifth in 2023. They outperform wine and Japanese sake, and have rapidly become a mainstay of drinking at home. (Fig.2)
Fig.2
On observation of these rankings overall, 3rd ~ 7th places are very close in 2023, with only 2.7 points’ difference between third place Plum wine and seventh place Japanese sake. On examination of these sorts of changes, it is possible that not only often-mentioned changes like the “shift away from alcohol” and “shift away from beer” may be occurring, but that young people may be consuming a more diverse range of types of alcohol.
3. Trends re. drinking when out among people in their 20s: Shift towards sour as default mode
Next, let’s take a look at “drinking when out (at establishments)”. On observation of the 2023 survey results on alcohol normally consumed by those in their 20s at establishments, 69.8% responded “Sour/Chuhai”, with it ranking first akin to drinking at home. On comparison with ten years ago in 2013, beer was ranked first at the time, with the two changing places over the past 10 years. Akin to drinking at home, a shift from beer to sour is observed, from “beer as default” to “sour as default”. (Fig.3)
Fig.3
Let’s consider this together with the drinking at home data from Section 2. In 2013 with those in their 20s, Sour/Chuhai ranked first with drinking at home, and beer ranked first with drinking when out. We surmise the reversal of first place items with drinking at home and drinking when out indicates that those in their 20s at the time switched the alcohol they drank depending on the scene, such as at home/establishments.
On the other hand, in 2023 with those in their 20s, Sour/Chuhai are consistently at first place with both drinking at home/drinking when out, giving the impression they drink the alcohol they want to drink regardless of their drinking scenes. In recent years, the idea of “diversity” has taken root, with “ordering draught beers for everyone to start off with” mentioned at the beginning of this article having now completely disappeared. This may be interpreted as also being influenced by a growing broad awareness of alcohol harassment – harassment in settings where alcohol is available in schools and workplaces driving the increasing trend making it easier for people to freely order the alcohol they want to drink.
4. Alcohol trends among people in their 20s seen from actual purchase volumes
Let’s examine the changes in the alcohol those in their 20s drink from shifts in actual purchase volumes. On examination of the compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of purchase volumes from 2013 to 2023, “whiskey”, “chuhai (moderate)”, “chuhai (strong)”, and “highballs are observed to be on a growth trend. In particular, highballs, which have become a staple over the past 10 years, had a high growth rate of 18.1%. On the other hand “chuhai (strong)” (with alcohol content of 7% or more) grew sizably from 2013 to 2020, but has shifted to a downward trend from 2021. Recently, the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare announced guidelines for appropriate drinking, so it seems moderate strength alcohol will drive the growth of the chuhai market going forward. (Fig.4)
Fig.4
5. Changes in consciousness and the connection with alcohol
We have examined the changes in drinking behavior among those in their 20s to this point. In order to explore the factors behind these changes, I would like to finish by interpreting the data from a consciousness perspective.
On observation of the “outlooks on oneself/one’s life” among those in their 20s, 47.6% answered that they “Act with harmony with those around me in mind, even if I have to suppress my own desires”, with this decreasing over the past 10 years. Conversely, “I like to prioritize myself over those around me” was endorsed by over half at 52.6%, and was on an upward trend. In addition, in a related question “Others are others, and I am me, so I’m not concerned about others” was also on an upward trend. (Fig.5)
Fig.5
Trends like the diversification of the types of alcohol consumed and not differentiating between the alcohol they drink at home and drink when out are likely due in part to this increased priority on “oneself”. We surmise that people currently in their 20s, who have grown up with respect for individuality and diversity as a matter of course are conscious of enjoying alcohol freely, without conforming to others more than necessary.
6. Wrap up: Hints for the new alcohol landscape
We have examined the alcohol landscape among those in their 20s while unraveling data to this point. Rather than simply saying consumers are “shifting away from alcohol”, on examination of the types of alcohol they consume as well, the connection with values they deem important such as “respect for diversity” and “self-respect” is clearly important to them through their diverse ways of enjoying alcohol.
I sometimes see them shopping at the convenience store near my house, putting one or two drinks in their shopping basket to drink that day in line with their mood on the day. At these sorts of times, the wide range of chuhai and sour variations may be making their choice more exciting. Izakaya are also introducing systems where each person can order what they like from QR codes prepared on each table. This is a response to rising labor costs for hall staff and a shortage of manpower, but is also indicating of such systems encouraging their “individuality and diversity”. This trend to “diversity” and self-respect” is spreading the air that “people who can’t drink” and “people who aren’t drinking (despite being able to do so constitution-wise)” can enjoy time in situations where alcohol is available too. By designing this paying attention to the changing alcohol landscape with consumers’ mindsets and trends, we may be able to paint a new alcohol landscape.
Joined INTAGE Inc. in 2021.
Responsible for planning and analysis of panel data with consumer goods.
His hobbies are “visiting aquariums”, “illustration” and “shopping”.
Joined INTAGE Inc. in 2021.
Responsible for planning and analysis of panel data with consumer goods.
His hobbies are “visiting aquariums”, “illustration” and “shopping”.
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