14THE GENDER PINT GAP: REVISITED/DRINKING HABITSCommentary and OpportunitiesDespite a prolific growth in the number of new breweries, brewingever more experimental and innovative beers, women don’t seem tohave been taken on this same journey, with a slight decline in thenumber of women choosing beer over other categories.It might be that an overwhelming and unfamiliar range of beers isnot necessarily a positive thing for women, and they default tofamiliar ‘safe’ gender-neutral options such as wine and spirits in theon-trade.This theory also translates into the off-trade: the selection of beerstyles available on supermarket shelves is ever expanding andtherefore can be confusing for anyone unfamiliar with the category.The OpportunityA 2022 survey by Statistareported that:Nearly 60 percent of femalegrocery shoppers living inEngland, Northern Ireland, andWales did most, if not all, of thefood shopping for theirhouseholds.In contrast, less than 30 percentof male consumers in thesecountries were their household'sdesignated food shopper.The grocery beer aisles can be acar crash if you’re a non-beerdrinker. It’s a place to grab a boxof whatever ‘he’ normally drinksand move on. It’s notsomewhere to linger andbrowse.Stores have an opportunity tocreate an environment in whichwomen feel comfortable andincluded; give them a reason tostop here, and supply them withthe knowledge and confidenceto make an informed purchase.There is a definite shift in behaviour when women enter the 25-to34-year age bracket with over a third of them switching theirpreference to spirits and cocktails - see right.The Cocktail EffectThe OpportunityA rise in the number of womenadopting cocktails as their drink ofchoice is one to watch. Cocktails –and spirits - are positioned asgender-neutral drinks, usuallyheavily promoted online and viaattractive eye-catching menus invenues. They also offer the ability topersonalise (how dry do you wantyour Martini?) and show off (forexample, Instagram). These aretrends that beer struggles with.In a 2022 seminar, the authorand beer writer Pete Brown said:“Younger drinkers are morelikely to decide on drinks choicesbefore getting to the venue. Theychoose by looking at onlinemenus. 60% of them look at thepub or bar website or socialmedia” and “…beer isn’t on onlinemenus”. This highlights themistake the on-trade is makingby failing to mention its beeroffer or make it visible.They demand a premium price pointwhich appears not to be a purchasedeterrent. They benefit from thetheatre surrounding the servewhereas beer is very much hiddenfrom view, usually dispensed from adraught tap from the bowels of acellar.The StudentIn 2023, the Economist reported:As consumers, members ofGeneration Z (born between 1997 to2012) are typically reliant on theInternet to research their optionsand to place orders.They tend to be sceptical and willshun brands whose actions andvalues are contradictory. Theirpurchases are heavily influenced bytrends promoted by "influencers" onsocial media, as well as the fear ofmissing out (FOMO) and peerpressure. The need to be "trendy" is aprime motivator.Bring beer to the forefront onthe bar, make it aspirational and‘Instagrammable’, and most ofall, make it visible to women (andmen) via on-line platforms – nottucked away on a random page asan afterthought.The OpportunityInfluence is the key word here.Who - or what - is influencingstudents to drink beer? Theyclearly enjoy the drink becausethey choose it most frequently,but brand owners need to tapinto their shared values.Authenticity, honesty, andtransparency are critical toengage this group of women, asis being ‘on trend’. Aninfluential, empowered andindependent womanrepresenting beer could be thekey to unlocking this group.
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