Differences in Male and Female Alcohol Attitudes & Preferences

Traditionally, alcohol preferences have been markedly different between men and women. While some stereotypes can no longer be applied, many differences still remain. It is therefore essential for industry players to develop a solid understanding of the real variations, as well as common ground, which exists between the genders' attitudes and behaviors towards alcoholic drink consumption.

Report Highlights
In both on-trade and off-trade, men show a slightly higher prevalence than women for trading up. While women are often thought of as more driven by brand image and quality than men, this is not the case in the field of alcoholic drinks. This anomaly may be ascribed to the fact that men drink more alcohol than women on average.

Men are more likely to drink alcohol in the on-trade, which is 'beer-centric' in the majority of featured countries. Many pubs and bars have looked to attract more female clientele, and while this can also help to introduce a new audience to the on-trade, the core male consumers must not be neglected in marketing efforts.

A substantial proportion of both men and women advised that they had increased the frequency with which they chose alcoholic drinks on the basis of value, although the majority of consumers claim to have made little change to their choices, suggesting resistance to altering their consumption habits.
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Table of Contents 2
Table of figures 3
Table of tables 4
THE FUTURE DECODED 5
INTRODUCTION: Differences persist between men's and women's drinking behavior and preferences 5
TREND: Male consumers continue to account for the majority of alcoholic drinks consumption 7
There are significant national and regional variations in the 'consumption gap' between males and females 7
Male over-consumption and female under-consumption is a defining characteristic of the market 8
Traditional values account for only some of the difference in alcohol consumption between genders 10
Key takeouts and implications: the alcoholic drinks industry must ensure that it maximizes opportunities for both male and female drinkers 11
TREND: Men are more frequent consumers of alcohol than women 11
Men consume alcoholic beverages in the on-trade channel more often than women 11
Price sensitivity in the on-trade shows considerable variation when analyzed by gender 14
Men are also more frequent consumers than women of alcohol in the off-trade 15
The greater smoking prevalence in males is another factor causing disillusion with on-trade environments 18
Men and women exhibit similar levels of price-sensitivity in the off-trade 18
Attitudes to trading up are mixed in both distribution channels 20
Women have started to account for a higher proportion of on-trade occasions overall 22
Key takeouts and implications: alcoholic drinking occasions vary in frequency and type by gender, while attitudes and behaviors show variation in on- and off-trade 24
INSIGHT: Moderating alcohol consumption and minimizing its harmful effects are important to both men and women 24
Consumers devote their attention to ensuring that they do not drink too much alcohol in general 24
Datamonitor's survey validates the idea that both genders are moderating their alcohol consumption 25
Women are more likely than men to abstain from alcohol consumption 27
Key takeouts and implications: moderation should continue to be promoted to both men and women by the alcoholic drinks industry 28
INSIGHT: The major categories of the alcoholic drinks industry show differing fortunes when analyzed by gender 29
The beer category is dominated by males, although women account for a significant proportion of sales 29
Some brewers are seeking to even the gender balance of the beer market 30
Cider is still more popular with men than women despite a recent renaissance reportedly driven by females 32
The FABs category continues to be driven by female consumption in Western markets 33
The wine category is evenly split by gender and exhibits attributes that contribute to a cross-gender appeal 34
Men dominate in the spirits category overall, but some subcategories are popular with women 36
An analysis of subcategories in spirits reveals that not all drinks are dominated by male consumption 36
The light spirits subcategory displays many female credentials, yet is broadly gender neutral by value 37
Some women already drink brown spirits and this category has further potential for cross-gender appeal 38
Key takeouts and implications: of the three main alcoholic beverage categories, only wine can be realistically described as 'gender-neutral' 39
INSIGHT: Women spend more time socializing with friends and family than men 40
Women are more likely than men to associate socializing with wellbeing 42
Some on-trade environments have already adapted to provide a more female-friendly atmosphere 43
Differences in the socializing behavior of men and women persist 44
Both men and women are likely to reduce their socializing expenses in light of the credit crunch 44
Key takeouts and implications: alcohol can play an important role in social interaction 45
INSIGHT: Alcohol marketers face challenges in conveying their messages to both genders 45
Both men and women do not particularly notice new releases in alcoholic drinks 45
Women attach more importance to brand image than men 47
Key takeouts and implications: marketers face challenges to ensure their products are recognized in the marketplace 48
ACTION POINTS 50
ACTION: Align drinks with socializing trends for men and women 50
Align brands with home entertainment occasions 50
The opportunity for sharing drinks can have a cross-gender appeal 50
Multipack promotions can appeal to male drinkers' socializing and value-focused tendencies 51
ACTION: Streamline gender-related marketing efforts by category 52
Ensure that a sustainable amount of marketing is maintained during recessionary times 52
ACTION: Emphasize the suitability of brands to both genders 53
Encourage women to drink beer through a viable long term strategy 53
Increase females' engagement with alcohol brands 56
Avoid reliance on overtly female-oriented brands and variants 56
APPENDIX 58
Definitions 58
Methodology 58
Further reading and references 59
Ask the analyst 60
Datamonitor consulting 60
Disclaimer 60
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Table 1: Consumer survey: the frequency with which consumers enjoyed an alcoholic drink in the on-trade in 15 countries across Europe, Asia Pacific, South America and the US, by gender, 2008 13
Table 2: Consumer survey: the extent to which consumers had chosen alcoholic drinks in the on-trade on the basis of value in the preceding six months, in 15 countries across Europe, Asia Pacific, South America and the US, 2008 15
Table 3: Consumer survey: the frequency with which consumers enjoyed an alcoholic drink in the off-trade, in 15 countries across Europe, Asia Pacific, South America and the US, by gender, 2008 17
Table 4: Smoking prevalence by gender in 15 countries across Europe, the US, Asia Pacific and South America, 2004 18
Table 5: Consumer survey: the extent to which consumers had chosen alcoholic drinks in the off-trade on the basis of value in the preceding six months, in 15 countries across Europe, Asia Pacific, South America and the US, 2008 19
Table 6: Consumer survey: the frequency with which consumers had sought out higher quality alcoholic beverages in the on-trade in the previous six months, in 15 countries across Europe, Asia Pacific, South America and the US, 2008 21
Table 7: Consumer survey: the frequency with which consumers had sought out higher quality alcoholic beverages in the off-trade in the previous six months, in 15 countries across Europe, Asia Pacific, South America and the US, 2008 22
Table 8: On-trade occasions (millions) by gender, in Europe, the US and Australia, 2003-13 23
Table 9: Consumer survey: the level of attention given to the amount of alcohol drunk overall, by gender, in 15 countries across Europe, Asia Pacific, South America and the US, 2008 25
Table 10: Consumer survey: the extent to which consumers had moderated their consumption of alcohol in the preceding six months, in 15 countries across Europe, Asia Pacific, South America and the US, by gender, 2008 26
Table 11: The percentage of adults of legal drinking age who abstain from consuming alcohol 28
Table 12: The length of time spent socializing with friends and family per day, minutes, 2002-12, by gender 41
Table 13: Consumer survey: the importance that individuals attach to ""developing or maintaining positive personal relationships"" to create a feeling of wellbeing or wellness in 15 countries across Europe, Asia Pacific, South America and the US, by country, 2008 42
Table 14: Consumer survey: the importance that individuals attach to ""developing or maintaining positive personal relationships"" to create a feeling of wellbeing or wellness in 15 countries across Europe, Asia Pacific, South America and the US, by country, 2008 43
Table 15: Consumer survey: the importance that consumers attach to choosing brands that match with their attitudes and overall life outlook, by gender, in 15 countries across Europe, Asia Pacific, South America and the US, 2008 48
Figure 1: Factors affecting the gender balance of the alcohol market 6
Figure 2: Men account for the majority of alcohol consumption by value in all featured countries 8
Figure 3: Men account for a much greater share of the alcohol market than their overall proportion of the population in all featured countries 9
Figure 4: Under-consumption characterizes the female alcohol market relative to their overall proportion of the population in all regions 10
Figure 5: For some male consumers, 'man-caves' provide a viable alternative to the on-trade 16
Figure 6: Male consumers still dominate the beer market 30
Figure 7: Some companies have seen initial success through attempting to provide beer that is more suited to the female palate, but the long term future of this concept is unclear 31
Figure 8: Cider is more evenly split by gender, but retains a leaning towards male drinkers 33
Figure 9: The FABs category is more popular with women than men overall 34
Figure 10: The wine category is evenly split by gender overall, but some substantial regional variation exists 35
Figure 11: Men account for the majority of the spirits category 36
Figure 12: Breaking down spirits into subcategories reveals significant variation in male and female tastes 37
Figure 13: The Skyy and Akvinta vodka brands both display credentials that will appeal to female consumers 38
Figure 14: Canadian Club Whisky's masculine approach to marketing hides the fact that one of its products displays desirable attributes for female drinkers 39
Figure 15: The Carling beer brand has sought to emphasize a male focus through its advertising activities in the UK 44
Figure 16: Over half of all male survey respondents claimed that they did not notice new products in alcoholic drinks 46
Figure 17: Women are even less likely than men to notice new product releases in alcoholic drinks 47
Figure 18: Coors has positioned its Coors Light brand as a beverage that can be enjoyed in social situations by both men and women 51
Figure 19: A selection of female-targeted beer brands showcasing some of the battles that marketers face in this field 55
Figure 20: Heineken has sought to target both men and women through the promotion of Heineken Extra Cold 56
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