Brits drink more alcohol in warmer weather
Brits drink more alcohol in warmer weather
- Nearly 3 in 10 Brits (27%) drink more alcohol when the weather gets warmer
- 40 per cent of UK adults tend to drink at special occasions, such as weddings, which are held more often in the summer
- Brits set to drink around 333 million more prints of beer and over 67 million more litres of wine during the summer*
Just over half (56%) of the population admit they drink once a week or more however, when the sunshine comes out, it seems that our drinking habits change with nearly three in ten Brits (27%) confessing they drink more during the warmer months.
The top five reasons why people claim to drink more in the warmer months are:
- The evenings are lighter (54%)
- Wanting to make the most of the weather (46%)
- There are more events in the summer, such as weddings and festivals (47%)
- To enjoy drinking in the warmer weather (46%)
- Getting together with friends or family are more likely to be suggested in the warmer weather (43%)
Opinium?s Desk Research Team has calculated that warmer weather sees the country consume an extra 333 million pints of beer and 67 million more litres of wine which equates to Brits spending an additional £512 million on beer and an extra £849 million on wine when the sun comes out *.
Opinium Research discovered that only 6 per cent of Brits drink alcohol to get drunk and there is a wide range of reasons why alcohol is enjoyed in the UK. A quarter (26%) drink to compliment food, a fifth (21%) drink to relieve tension and just over a third (36%) simply like the taste.
Kate Norfolk, head of healthcare research at Opinium, commented: ?As summer approaches us, people want to enjoy the days getting longer and for some, that means having a nice glass of wine or pint of beer. While Britain?s alcohol drinking habits have improved over time, people still need to be aware of how much they are consuming. With more weddings, festivals and opportunities to socialise during summer, it can be easy to drink more, too. As long as Brits know their limits and do not drink excessively above the recommended number of units per week, which is no more than 21 units for men or 14 units for women per week***, there is no reason why they cannot enjoy drinking in the sunshine.?
Opinium Research carried out an online survey of 2,024 people aged 18+, of which 553 drink more in the warmer months,from 23rd March to 26th March 2012. Results have been weighted to nationally representative criteria.
*International Wine and Spirits Research, Source: http://www.iwsr.co.uk/; British Wine and Spirits Association, Source: http://www.wsta.co.uk/ ;British Pub Association, Source: http://www.beerandpub.com/statistics
**13.5 million is calculated by taking 553 who drink more in warmer months
553/2,024 = 0.27%. 0.27% x 49,969,000 (UK adult population over 18yrs old) = 13.5million
***Source: http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/alcohol/Pages/alcohol-units.aspx
