By Andrew Starke
Australian consumers are aware that drinking alcohol can lead to weight gain but do not consider this a lifestyle priority, according to a new survey.
The Datamonitor research found that almost two-thirds of consumers now feel well-informed as to the calorie content of alcohol, but this does not translate into action.
Far fewer consumers pay attention to weight gain from drinking alcohol, with the survey citing as evidence the fact that low-calorie drinks are still a niche market.
The independent business analyst also revealed that nearly a third of Australians only pay a low amount of attention to the potential for weight gain caused by drinking alcohol.
“Over the last decade, weight concerns have greatly affected consumer choice in the food and drink industry,” said Datamonitor senior analyst David Bird.
”However, our research shows that this isn’t true of the alcohol sector, as health is not a major consideration in alcohol consumption for most consumers.”
The report found that although health did influence alcohol choice it came after buying habits, price, and even brand loyalty.
This suggests that one of the biggest challenges facing ‘low-carb’ or ‘low-alcohol’ brands is convincing consumers to prioritise health in general when they are making their alcoholic drink choices.
However the research went on to discover that more than 80 percent of drinkers in Australia feel well informed about the health benefits of drinking alcohol.
This is due, in part, to a number of different scientific studies that have highlighted the cardiovascular benefits of frequent moderate wine consumption.
“One of the main issues holding consumers back from placing more importance on health when deciding what alcoholic beverages to buy is brand loyalty,” said Bird.
”Manufacturers need to communicate the advantages of switching to a healthier option.”
”For example, although providing nutritional information on labeling isn’t compulsory for alcohol, manufacturers of drinks that have health benefits or are healthier than those of their competitors could succeed in capturing the imagination of consumers if they start to communicate this more widely,” he continued.