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Tag: alcohol sales

  • Americans Are Drinking And Spending More On Alcohol

    Americans Are Drinking And Spending More On Alcohol

    Researchers found that drinking increased in all subgroups of the population, and most steeply among women, the elderly and minorities.

    Americans are spending more on alcohol than ever before and are also reporting higher rates of alcohol use disorder, all while beverage companies are increasing their budgets for alcohol advertising. 

    Surprisingly, more than a quarter of Americans don’t drink at all, according to a study reported by 24/7 Wall Street. However, the percentage of Americans who said they have imbibed during the last year has risen steadily, from 65.4% in 2001-2002 to 72.7% in 2012-2013, according to data from the American Medical Association.

    The increase wasn’t just among social drinkers—high-risk drinking increased 30% over that period as well, while alcohol use disorder increased nearly 50%. 

    Researchers found that drinking increased in all subgroups of the population, and most steeply among women, the elderly and minorities. Authors noted the need for attention to problem drinking. 

    “Most important, the findings herein highlight the urgency of educating the public, policymakers, and health care professionals about high-risk drinking and AUD, destigmatizing these conditions and encouraging those who cannot reduce their alcohol consumption on their own, despite substantial harm to themselves and others, to seek treatment,” they wrote.

    Research on spending indicates that rates might have continued to rise. According to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Consumer Expenditure Surveys, Americans spent more on alcohol in 2017 than they did in 2016.

    Overall, spending on alcohol has increased 56.6% since 1996, even though the price of booze has not increased substantially during that time. The increase in spending has been sharpest among baby boomers, while millennials spend the least on alcohol. 

    “Our findings suggest that older Americans increased their alcohol spending dramatically, which resonates with growing public health concerns pertaining to Baby Boomers and booze,” the authors wrote. “In a related finding, retired professionals spent 186% more money on alcohol. Conversely, those younger than 25 spent less in 2016 than in 1996, attesting to a trend in millennials choosing to live sober.”

    With so much spending at play, it’s no wonder that alcohol advertising is a massive industry, especially when it comes to sports. Each year the top 30 alcohol brands spend $764.5 million on sports sponsorship, according to industry data.

    Most of that spending is by beer brands, with Bud Light alone spending approximately $250 million per year, more than one-third of the money spent globally on alcoholic beverage sports sponsorship. Heineken spends $118.3 million on sponsorships, while Budweiser spends $84.4 million. 

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Sheriffs Ban Alcohol After Hurricane Michael

    Sheriffs Ban Alcohol After Hurricane Michael

    Unsurprisingly, the move was met with a wave of criticism. 

    In the aftermath of Hurricane Michael, two Florida counties briefly banned alcohol sales as part of an emergency disaster declaration.

    The Category 4 storm walloped southeastern seaboard states earlier this month, leaving at least 30 people dead in the U.S. and wreaking particular havoc on Florida and Georgia. Five days after the hurricane made landfall on Oct. 10, sheriffs in two Panhandle counties on the Gulf cut off booze-buying.

    As the ban set in, a spokesman for the Gulf County sheriff said the top cop “feels like people need to not focus on drinking.” State statute allows local sheriffs the authority to pause alcohol sales during riots, states of emergency and other crises, officials told the local paper.

    “He just wants to give people time to adjust and cope and the businesses time to get open and their feet back on the ground,” Gulf County sheriff’s spokesman Corey Dobridnia said.

    But even as word of the modern-day Prohibition spread, Panama City—the Bay County seat—voted to dial back the ban there four days after it began. Elsewhere, officials promised to re-open booze sales once power was restored. 

    Both counties were open for a full bar by Saturday, according to local reports.

    While it was in place, the short-lived restrictions—predictably—drew some backlash. And after Hurricane Katrina, there were no such bans in Mississippi and Louisiana, according to the Sun Herald.

    But this time around it was not so much thirsty would-be customers who objected as it was devastated business owners already dealing with losses from the storm, now coupled with the dip in income from a lack of booze sales.

    “This alcohol ban puts them in a bind,” Laguna Beach resident Nancy Estes told the Northwest Florida Daily News. “I don’t see where the business owners should be penalized for something they had to get a license to do. They paid to get a license to sell beer, wine or spirits, they should not be penalized.”

    Some took to social media to air their concerns. 

    “Banning all sales of alcohol only rubs salt in the wounds of those already affected financially by this disaster,” wrote Jonathan Hampel, “especially all of those in the restaurant business.”

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Which US City's Residents Spend The Most On Alcohol?

    Which US City's Residents Spend The Most On Alcohol?

    A recent survey found that residents of one popular US city spend more than $1,000 on alcohol annually.

    People in San Francisco spend more money on alcohol than residents of any other U.S. city—dropping an average of $1,131 per year (or 1.5% of their annual pay) on beer, wine and liquor, according to SF Gate. 

    The finding emerged from data on Americans’ spending on alcohol compiled by Delphi Behavioral Health Group from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Consumer Expenditure Survey.

    The analysis found that nationally, Americans spend $484 per year on alcoholic beverages. Spending on alcohol had increased 56.6% since 1996. 

    However, that doesn’t necessarily mean people are consuming more, according to Matthew Insco, who works at the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

    “(Something) to keep in mind—these figures show how much households spend, not necessarily how much they consume,” he said. “For example, one area could drink less but spend more by buying more expensive types of alcohol.”

    The analysis by Delphi found that wine prices have increased more than 150% since 1996, and beer prices have increased by 61%. 

    “These price spikes suggest that rising costs account for much of the increase in Americans’ alcohol spending: People may not be drinking more frequently, but they’re definitely paying more for the privilege of the pint,” the report noted. 

    The report authors also noted that the average spending could be deceptively low. Given that more than a quarter of Americans don’t drink at all, those who do imbibe are spending more than it seems at first glance. 

    “Assuming that this sober cohort spends no money on alcohol, those who do drink likely spend considerably more than $484 annually on average,” the report said. 

    Adults between the ages of 25 and 64 all spend an average of about $540 annually on alcohol, with older and younger adults spending less. People with master’s degrees or higher spend the largest percentage of their income on alcohol. 

    After San Francisco, Minneapolis and San Diego residents spend the most on alcohol at $852 and $850 respectively. Residents in Tampa, Dallas-Fort Worth and Atlanta spend the least, at $411, $373 and $291.

    Surprisingly, New York and Chicago residents also have relatively low spending, at $446 and $492. 

    Americans spend more on alcohol than they do on smoking or tobacco. They also spend four times as much on alcohol as they do on reading. 

    “While none of these cities lack for establishments serving or selling liquor, residents spent less than $500 a year on drinking on average,” the report said. 

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • California Says “No” to Mixing Marijuana & Alcohol in Public

    California Says “No” to Mixing Marijuana & Alcohol in Public

    California state regulators have drawn a line in the sand for businesses that wish to sell marijuana and alcohol in the same location.

    California state regulators have temporarily dashed hopes for bars and pubs where people can consume alcohol and marijuana at the same time, according to High Times.

    The Golden State issued an industry advisory on July 25, which listed frequently asked questions of the state’s Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC). The advisory drew a clear line in the sand between alcohol and cannabis in the state, making it illegal to sell the two together.

    “The MAUCRSA (Business and Professions Code section 26054) states that the holder of a license issued under the MAUCRSA ‘shall not sell alcoholic beverages or tobacco products on or at any premises licensed under this division,’” the memo stated.

    The ABC also says beverages that blend the two substances together, such as marijuana-infused cocktails or Canada’s newly infamous “cannabis beer” will be illegal in the state. Cannabidiol (CBD) is out of the question for ABC licensees, too.

    “It does not matter if the CBD comes from industrial hemp or from cannabis,” the memo said. “This also includes non-alcoholic beverage products and edibles. It is thus prohibited… regardless of source, in the manufacture or production of any alcoholic beverage, including using it in mixed drinks or cocktails.” 

    State regulators added that businesses licensed to sell alcohol won’t be allowed to permit their patrons to bring (and use) their own marijuana on the premises, either. No cannabis products, including vaporizers and edibles, can be consumed in public, under California law.

    “The restriction applies at all times, even after hours or during private functions,” the High Times story explained. “That means food, wine, and cannabis pairing events are not allowed at ABC licensed establishments.”

    Interestingly enough, California’s Cannabis Portal site observed that the memo’s guidelines won’t stop any of it from happening: “There are many bars and pubs that [currently] turn a blind eye to such behavior, and did well before recreational marijuana was legalized in California.”

    Additionally, the existence of Denver Initiative 300 (a pilot program that allows public pot consumption in Denver) suggests that attitudes could eventually shift in the opposite direction in California. 

    Since its legalization in November 2016, the laws around marijuana use have been as controversial as they have been somewhat ambiguous.

    While “there has been some lack of clarity” in how and where marijuana can be consumed, a Marijuana Moment article hinted that there is “perhaps a bit of willful ignorance” among businesses and entrepreneurs.

    Even the advisory itself says that it’s not the “be-all and end-all” on the subject and is, instead, meant to simply provide some better clarification: “This is not intended to be a comprehensive review of what may be permitted or prohibited,” the memo cautioned. “You should obtain independent legal advice before engaging in business involving either alcoholic beverages or cannabis, and you should not act in reliance on any information presented herein.”

    And while the ABC prohibits anyone from mixing alcohol and weed, there are no stipulations that prevent a person from holding licenses to sell both alcohol and cannabis.

    View the original article at thefix.com