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Adam Allington
The beer industry has faced pressure lately as younger generations show less appetite for drinking, weight-loss drugs dent demand, and consumers tighten their spending.
Douglass Miller
Senior lecturer in Food and Beverage Management
Douglass Miller, is a senior lecturer in food and beverage management at Cornell University.
Miller says:
“There are several reasons for the downturn in alcohol consumption, specifically beer consumption. First, the U.S. population is aging. As populations age, their consumption declines. Second, for Gen Z, there are more opportunities to spend discretionary income than for earlier generations. For example, widespread gambling, online gaming, cannabis consumption, and online food ordering are all impacting discretionary income, which was not available to previous generations.
“Increased use of GLP-1 drugs is also impacting beer consumption, but the industry has responded with more low- or no-alcohol options. Lastly, how people socialize today is also impacting alcohol consumption. The widespread adoption of cell phones allows individuals to socialize differently and be more connected without going to a place that sells alcohol.
