New research from Lumina Intelligence shows 38% of consumers have reduced their alcohol consumption since the pandemic began in March. This rises to 42% for 18-24 year olds and 46% for 25-34s, with health (31%) the main motivation for consumers choosing ‘Low 2 No’ alcohol options.
Meanwhile, 25% said variety was behind they shift to Low 2 No (L2N) drinks with people wanting to try something new. 17% claimed it was because L2N is easy to consume at home, whilst 14% said such drinks were a cheaper option to alcohol.
When broken down by age group, 18-24s are 14% more likely to choose health as a key reason than the average consumer, followed by 35-44’s (7% more likely). The 18-24’s are also 51% more likely to be put off by price and therefore consume L2N as it is a cheaper drink option. Variety is a key motivation for shoppers under 44, with these shoppers more likely to consume Low 2 No because they want to ‘try something new’.
Lumina Intelligence found that convenience stores were the most popular channel for buying L2N alcohol products, ahead of supermarkets and discounters. The top three drivers to purchase in convenience store shoppers are prices, promotions and trying something new.
The study highlighted that clear merchandising, point of sale and packaging is key to ensuring shoppers can navigate the category while in store, particularly as some consumers define L2N as BWS and others define it as a premium soft drink. Equipping staff with category knowledge which they can share with shoppers was also found to be a key way of driving awareness of the category and engaging with shoppers who are open to recommendations.
Sarah Coleman, Insight & Communications Director at Lumina Intelligence commented: “The trend towards Low 2 No has been gathering pace for some time and it seems that the coronavirus pandemic has accelerated this. With health high on the agenda, a significant proportion of consumers have cut back on their alcohol consumption since the outbreak in March. This highlights a significant opportunity for retailers to tap into, particularly within the convenience channel, which attracts a higher visit frequency than other channels.
“With younger consumers driving the growth in the Low 2 No market, health and price are two key areas to focus on. Highlighting the health benefits of low alcohol alternatives will attract shoppers and finding a competitive price point will be key to driving sales.”
