Revealed: How drinking habits change with age

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One of our 10 Things You Need To Know About… Spirits

Gin is the tipple of choice for more men than women, according to exclusive research for The Grocer, and it’s favoured by those aged 25 to 44, knocking the adage out of the water that it’s an old woman’s drink.

Only 7% of those aged 55+ say it’s their favourite drink. It’s yet to shake off that image, though, as 11% of the 2,009 Brits polled by Harris Interactive think gin is for the more mature woman.

	Total	Male	Female	16-24	25-34	35-44	45-54	55+
Whisky is my tipple of choice	10%	16%	4%	9%	11%	11%	10%	9%
Vodka is my tipple of choice	11%	10%	12%	13%	16%	15%	10%	7%
Gin is my tipple of choice	7%	7%	6%	3%	8%	8%	6%	7%
Rum is my tipple of choice	7%	8%	6%	7%	11%	10%	5%	5%

Whisky and rum, meanwhile, are perceived as the tipple of the older gent, particularly by younger generations. A quarter (24%) of 16 to 24-year-olds say it’s an ‘old man’s drink’.

Vodka is arguably the coolest spirit, with 13% of those aged 16-24 and 16% of 25-34 year olds choosing it above all other alcohol. The younger generations steer clear of gin, though, with a third (32%) declaring the spirit to be ’disgusting’.

Do you drink spirits?	Total	Male	Female	16-24	25-34	35-44	45-54	55+
Yes, I drink spirits on evenings out	49%	49%	50%	63%	66%	56%	51%	32%
Yes, I drink spirits at home	46%	53%	40%	31%	48%	52%	53%	45%
No, although I do drink other types of alcohol	16%	15%	17%	10%	8%	12%	16%	25%
No, I don’t drink alcohol at all	15%	13%	17%	21%	15%	12%	12%	17%

Looking at when and where Brits consume spirits, there is a big difference across the age groups. A quarter of Brits aged 55+ don’t drink spirits at all, preferring other types of booze, while 17% are teetotal. Meanwhile, only 8% of 25 to 34-year-olds claim they don’t touch spirits, with 15% of that generation avoiding booze altogether.

While 46% of Brits drink spirits at home, only 31% of 16 to 24-year-olds do so compared with 53% of those aged 45-54. And men are more likely to indulge on the sofa compared with women.

Next article: Video: Can The Grocer create its own craft gin brand?

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