Shopper Insights
Liquor shoppers shifting to a new COVID normal Shoppers are premiumising, supporting local and looking to reduce indulgence, according to the results of a new study into liquor consumption habits, writes Norrelle Goldring of Illuminera.
Resulting from the bushfires and the COVID-19
or well-known brands, the result of the psychology
pandemic, there’s been a number of changes to consumer
of sticking to the familiar, tried and tested during
behaviour this year, including in liquor consumption
times of uncertainty.
and purchase. Below I’ve summarised the key findings
Working from home and the resulting increase in
from Project Hearth, an Illuminera consumer study
home liquor consumption for some, combined with the
that involved consumption diaries, focus groups, and
desire to reduce public contact through fewer shopping
a survey of 2,200 people in late October.
trips, means that one in eight of our Project Hearth consumers are buying more items per liquor store trip.
Buying bigger, better and local
We have observed across all of our studies this year
The COVID-19 pandemic has had mixed impacts on
a consumer desire to support local businesses, with
consumers, creating something of a two-speed economy
consumers saying they are shopping at local stores 30
– those negatively financially impacted looking to save
per cent more often. Shopping is becoming hyperlocal,
money wherever possible, and those less impacted with
with more people supporting high street and local
dollars they’re itching to spend that would normally
retailers and Australian and local brands, even if this is
have gone on travel, leisure and entertainment.
more expensive. So liquor stores have an opportunity
This is evident in the more than one in ten of our Project Hearth consumers buying more premium
to hyper-localise their range and promotions of craft beer, whiskies, gin and wine for instance.
liquor brands and product variants than they did pre-
34 | National Liquor News
COVID with 47 per cent now ‘likely’ to buy more
Are we past peak alcohol consumption?
premium versions. Yet conversely, 19 per cent are
A number of parallels between snacking and liquor
buying more private label and retailer brands and
consumption were observed with regard to the
more than half (54 per cent) are buying more familiar
consumption ‘bell curve’.