UK alcohol consumption shifts from pubs to supermarkets

New research highlights significant shifts in alcohol consumption and the economic challenges facing the UK pub industry. A report from the Institute of Alcohol Studies and Balance indicates that drinking has moved from pubs to homes, with approximately three-quarters of UK alcohol now purchased through supermarkets and off-licences. The report notes that shop-bought beer is 245% more affordable than it was in 1987, whereas pub beer prices have only increased by 54%. Publicans report that this price gap is a major driver of business closures, with 62% stating that supermarket alcohol is too cheap.

Simultaneously, data from the Our Future Health programme suggests a generational divide in drinking habits. Younger adults, specifically those under 40, are drinking less frequently and in smaller quantities than previous generations. While 12% of people in their 20s identify as teetotal, the likelihood of drinking above the recommended 14 units per week increases with age, rising from 12.6% among 18-to-39-year-olds to 28.2% among those in their 60s.