Half (50%) of Irish adults claim to have purchased craft alcohol in the on-trade, with just over a quarter (27%) purchasing in the off-trade. Recent research on behalf of Retail Intelligence by Empathy Research, amongst a nationally representative sample of 1,001 adults aged 18+, sought to understand this purchase behaviour, while assessing where the growth in craft alcohol purchase is emanating.
There are high levels of cross-purchase between the on and off-trade channels, with just under half (47%) of those who buy craft alcohol in the on-trade also purchasing in the off-trade. Purchase of craft alcohol in both the on-trade and off-trade is driven by males, with almost two thirds (64%) claiming to have purchased in the on-trade and just under a third (32%) purchasing in the off-trade. Interestingly, 25-34 year olds are most likely to be purchasing craft alcohol in the on-trade, whereas 35-44 year olds are most likely to be purchasing in the off-trade.
Craft beer drives the majority of purchases in the craft alcohol category, with high levels of purchase in both the on and off-trade evident. Signs of a slowdown in craft beer purchase levels are not yet apparent with almost 4 in 10 (37%) craft beer purchasers claiming they are buying more craft beer than they were this time last year.
While overall purchase levels are somewhat lower, the type of alcohol with the biggest increase in craft purchase levels amongst purchasers of that alcohol, is gin. Over 4 in 10 (42%) gin purchasers claim they are buying more craft gin that they were this time last year. Whiskey (22%) just heads stout (21%) in terms of increases in craft purchases amongst buyers of each type of alcohol.
For further information and more in-depth analysis on consumer behaviour in relation to craft alcohol, including motivations for purchase across different alcohol types, please contact Robbie Clarke at Empathy Research.
Article by Checkout magazine
