However, there can be exceptions to these trends, and individual drinking behaviors may vary widely within age groups. Prolonged excessive alcohol consumption can lead to stroke, heart disease, liver cancer, and high blood pressure. This moderate drinking can help you avoid alcohol-related accidents how much does the average person spend on alcohol per year and many other serious health problems.
How Much Do People Spend on Alcohol?
As shown by clusters of countries (for example, Middle Eastern countries with low alcohol intake but high GDP per capita), we tend to see strong cultural patterns that tend to alter the standard income-consumption relationship we may expect. The first map shows this in terms of spirits as a share of total alcohol consumption. In many Asian countries, spirits account for most of total alcohol consumption. The charts show global consumption of spirits, which are distilled alcoholic drinks, including gin, rum, whisky, tequila, and vodka. Both are measured in terms of pure alcohol/ethanol intake rather than the total quantity of the beverage.
How Much Does the Average American Drink?
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- In the chart, we see data across some countries on the share of people with an alcohol use disorder who received treatment.
- Tequila and mezcal, for example, have consistently gained popularity, outpacing American-made whiskey in terms of revenue in 2023.
- Conversely, those younger than 25 spent less in 2016 than in 1996, attesting to a trend in millennials choosing to live sober.
- When we look at gender differences, we see that in all countries, men have a higher alcohol consumption than women.
Alcohol consumption has a causal impact on more than 200 health conditions (diseases and injuries). This pattern of drinking is often termed ‘binging,’ where individuals consume large amounts of alcohol within a single session versus small quantities more frequently. Alcohol consumption – whilst a risk factor for a number of health outcomes – typically has the greatest negative impacts when consumed within heavy sessions.
Americans spend over $37 billion annually on beer, in part because of pricey craft brewery offerings. Similarly, hard liquor suppliers have enjoyed record sales in recent years, driven by consumer interest in high-end spirits. Even wineries are raking in more revenue than ever, despite uncertain enthusiasm among younger generations. Sources of alcoholic beverages sales and shipment data by State and beverage type, 2021.
Everyone’s drinking habits are unique and as long as you’re happy and healthy, that’s cool. This topic page looks at the data on global patterns of alcohol consumption, patterns of drinking, beverage types, the prevalence of alcoholism, and consequences, including crime, mortality, and road incidents. In 2019, the cities with the highest alcohol spending also had a higher cost of living, with goods and services costing up to 28% more than the national average. While alcohol sales increased during the pandemic, beer sales in the US dropped.
In the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Argentina, and many European countries, alcohol is responsible for around a third of all traffic deaths. Global data on the prevalence and effectiveness of alcohol use disorder treatment is incomplete. Alcohol consumption is a known risk factor for a number of health conditions, and potential mortality cases.
DATA
Industry members should not rely solely on generation to build a likely buyer profile; rather, it is essential to consider a consumer’s attitudes (i.e., what they think) and behaviors (i.e., what they do) when developing a promotional strategy. Additionally, all individuals who were born between 1997 and 2012 and categorized as Gen Z do not act or think in the same way, but world/national events are likely to have had an impact on their personalities. The majority of these alcohol consumers are men, and they prefer beer more than wine or liquor.
Compared to their counterparts, those with an annual household income of less than $50,000 (48%), males (53%), as well as those with a high school level of education or less (52%). The Liquor Laboratory is intended for adults over the age of 21 and the legal drinking age. Nothing on this website should be taken as professional advice and we always encourage responsible drinking.
- As defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a moderate male drinker has two drinks or less in a day, and a woman has one drink or less in a day.
- In the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Argentina, and many European countries, alcohol is responsible for around a third of all traffic deaths.
- The charts show global consumption of spirits, which are distilled alcoholic drinks, including gin, rum, whisky, tequila, and vodka.
- But on certain holidays, they spend significantly more than they do on any other day of the year.
- At the country level, as shown in the chart, this ranges from around 0.5 to 5 percent of the population.
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While higher spending does not necessarily indicate unhealthy drinking habits, greater than average consumption can be a factor in some cities with high alcohol expenditures. Additionally, the popularity of specific alcoholic beverages varies; for instance, vodka remains the top-selling spirit in America, while tequila and mezcal are gaining traction. Firstly, the growing popularity of ready-to-drink beverages, such as premade cocktails, spirits seltzers, and hard sodas, has captured a significant portion of the alcohol market. These convenient and diverse options have attracted consumers away from traditional beer choices.
Drinking in America has been rising for the last 20 years and has reached a point where Americans are drinking more than they were when Prohibition was enacted, according to federal health statistics. There’s a poster on Reddit who says he was able to afford a down payment on a pickup truck with the money he saved from not drinking for a month. Another guy said he saved $1,000 a month by not drinking alcohol or coffee. Additionally, expect to see whiskey from Japan, Korea, Taiwan, and other up-and-coming producing countries such as Italy, Wales, Netherlands, and Singapore enter or become more prominent in the U.S. market.
The CDC defines binge drinking as consuming 4 to 5 drinks within two hours. You can use the Alcohol Cost Calculator to find the breakdown of your daily drinking and the annual cost. Instead, pace yourself and sip slowly with the goal of drinking less alcohol over the course of a night. Note the time your first drink is poured and then don’t allow yourself to order the next one for at least an hour.
How much money can you save by not drinking alcohol?
When your friends suggest getting a drink after a stressful day at work, suggest taking a walk or a yoga class instead. Brad Nichols, Flavorman’s director of Business Development, indicated that “coffee will also continue to expand flavorings and follow-suit of its symbiotic pollinating friends, via botanical and herbal roots.” Alcohol consumption patterns vary across different age groups, influenced by factors such as social norms, life stage, and individual preferences.
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At the end of this topic page, you will find additional resources and guidance if you, or someone you know, needs support in dealing with alcohol dependency. The “seltzer boom brought variety and flavor to customers,” which encourages them to be more willing to try new flavors in other beverage categories. While rosé wine has grown in popularity over the past few years, according to the Beverage Trade Network, the “excitement about and growth in the segment may be waning.”
People may use alcohol to cope with financial stress, which causes them to purchase alcohol, leading to more financial stress (5). According to our data, recent decades have seen a definite surge in spending on alcohol, particularly in some places and populations. ADVERTISING EXPENDITURES The alcoholic-beverage companies spend between $1 and $2 billion each year in the print and broadcast media to advertise their products. Percentage change in total per capita ethanol consumption by State, United States, 2020–2021. With that cultural shift, researchers have also found that binge drinking and alcohol-related deaths are rising most dramatically among women. Drinking — and binge drinking — among women appears to be one of the causes of rising alcohol statistics.
It is worth noting that the cost of alcohol in San Diego and Washington, D.C., may also be influenced by local taxes and fees. For example, in 2025, the Washington state senate passed a bill that included a 50% hike on liquor-related fees, impacting various businesses involved in the sale and service of alcohol. These increases in fees may have contributed to the higher spending on alcohol observed in Washington, D.C. The beer market in the US was already on a downward trend before the pandemic, so the surge in demand for beer in the early months of the pandemic was welcome news for big brands. However, the long-term impact of the pandemic on beer sales remains to be seen.