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I know this is a burning question:

Has coronavirus changed how much alcohol Americans are drinking?  New research looks at what impact stay-at-home orders and conditions during the COVID-19 crisis have had on American alcohol consumption.

The survey, which included 1,000 American adults and was carried out by APCO Insight, showed 35% of Americans are drinking about the same despite stay-at-home orders and 28% are drinking less. This includes 11% who say they have stopped drinking entirely.

Not being able to go out and bars and restaurants being closed are the top two reasons for drinking less, with 38% and 33% of respondents citing these factors respectively.

This last is bad news for the alcohol industry, which expects beverage alcohol to take five years to rebound from the coronavirus.

Total global alcohol consumption, boosted by increases in beer and RTD [ready to drink] products, grew by +0.1% in volume and +3.6% in value in 2019. But the near complete shutdown of bars and restaurants across the world for several months this year has set the category back dramatically.  While there has been an uptick in liquor retail and ecommerce, this has not been enough to offset the losses in the on-trade….this will lead to double-digit declines in 2020, which will take until 2024 to recover to 2019 pre-Covid-19 levels. In the US and UK, this is likely to take even longer.

Will there be fewer auto accidents, less domestic violence, and reductions in other alcohol-related problems?  The data should be coming in soon.

Addition, June 21

Several readers wrote to complain that I did not give enough information about these articles.  In particular, David Jernigan, a professor at Boston University’s School of Public Health, said there is a lot as yet unknown about alcohol consumption right now,

But the source I would not go to is responsibility.org – they are a wholly owned unit of the Distilled Spirits Council of the Untied States (DISCUS), one of the leading alcohol industry trade groups…from the coverage of it in your blog and the link to the story on it in BeverageDaily.com, there are some obvious problems with their findings:

First, it looks like they asked people “do you drink responsibly?” as opposed to objective measures. There are much better ways to measure drinking behavior and I would not expect reliable findings from such a vague question.

Second, even their survey finds that prevalence of drinking has increased – up from 71% in the past month last year to 79% in the past month in the same period this year.

Finally, the article on this in BeverageDaily.com, to the author’s credit, asks and reports on how the survey figures match up with sales figures. The answer is they don’t. Off-premise sales are generally about 75% of sales volume. IRI reports that retail alcohol sales in the US “remain elevated” through 13 May, when they were up 34.2% compared to the same period last year. Only frozen foods have performed comparably. Nielsen figures say the same thing – total alcohol sales up 16% during the overall lockdown period compared with 2019. Spirits has been the biggest winner (up 27.4%), which suggests that people are maximizing purchases for alcohol content.

On-premise sales per outlet are down 68%. If you do the math between the two sectors, this adds up to about an 8.5% increase in sales overall. Add to this that people are most likely buying more for cheaper (more 24-packs of beer and boxed wine, according to Nielsen, in addition to spirits, the category with the highest alcohol content, seeing the largest sustained increase), and it starts to give a more accurate picture than DISCUS’s survey.

We won’t know for sure what has happened until the more accurate public health surveys come back from the field. However, as of early April, 18 of 22 police departments asked by NBC News about domestic violence calls indicated they were up substantially – a canary in the coal mine?

I am grateful to professor Jernigan for taking the trouble to write and even more for providing this information.  The alcohol industry has a long history of manipulating research in its own interests.  It’s always good to remember that this industry’s purpose is to sell as much booze as possible to as many people as it can, while public health efforts are aimed precisely at the opposite.

Populations with the lowest overall intake of alcohol on a population basis, are those that also have low levels of alcohol-induced social problems: car and other accidents, domestic and other violence, and problems with work, intimacy, and mental and physical health.

Coronavirus affects everything in the food system.  Here’s what it’s doing to ethanol and alcoholic beverages.

Fuel ethanol

Q.  What does fuel ethanol have to do with food politics?

A.  About 40% of America’s corn crop is used for ethanol for cars, as a result of the fuel standards law requiring ethanol to be blended into gasoline.

Comment: Growing corn for ethanol seems absurd to me, particularly because the energy gain is so low—about 2% according to the USDA.

With that said, Covid-19 is unquestionably bad for the fuel ethanol business.

• Ethanol plants are in trouble.  People aren’t driving cars as much or using gas.
• Only about half as much ethanol is being used as was used last year—the lowest since 2010.
• The USDA is not providing emergency funding for biofuels.
• Corn farmers are upset.  There is less of a market for their overplanted corn.

Booze

Alcoholic beverage companies that donate to Coronavirus causes are seeing huge increases in sales—as much as a tripling.

But beer has a problem.  It—and sodas and seltzers—need carbon dioxide gas to make them bubbly.  Ethanol plants collect this gas as a byproduct.  If they shut down or reduce output, the gas supply goes down.  Expect shortages.

If Covid-19 does any good at all, it is to illustrate the interconnections and contradictions of our often bizarre food system.

Beer is a hot topic these days, so hot that the industry newsletter Beverage Daily collects its articles on the topic into MONTHLY BEER SPECIALS.  I’ve picked these from the June and July Specials.  The big issues: craft, low or no alcohol, cannabis, and sustainability.

Craft 

• Beer of the gods: Hong Kong craft brand evokes local culture and  folklore:  Just as a temple or village hall in southern China will always greet you with a door guardian, so does the entrance to Moonzen brewery in Hong Kong. Indeed, the carvings inspired the craft beer brand’s name and its appearance… Read
• Going green: How can craft brewers improve sustainability?  Craft brewers may talk the sustainability talk – but find it a lot harder to walk the sustainability walk. Tracking performance can help reveal effective ways to improve, say experts… Read  
• US craft beer slows while spirits take off: The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies (PMMI) has released a new report on machinery and automation trends among breweries and distilleries, who are scaling back on production goals and diversifying offerings to stay competitive… Read
• Kellogg’s expands craft beer lineup made from cereal waste:  Kellogg’s UK has extended its partnership with the Seven Bro7hers Brewery to release new craft beers made with rejected breakfast cereals… Read    
• UK craft beer: ‘The next 12 months are likely to be pivotal in setting the tone for our future direction’:  Is the UK craft beer bubble about to burst – or is the boom far from over? The Society of Independent Brewers (SIBA) says the state of the industry in 2019 paints a fascinating picture, noting the market has reached a ‘critical point’ in its evolution… Read  
• New investment for Ontario craft breweries:   The governments of Canada and Ontario are investing $1m in projects to help grow the craft beer industry in the province… Read
• Ten top tips for craft brewers:  From embracing ecommerce to eying up gluten-free growth, the Society of Independent Brewers (SIBA) sets out 10 top tips for UK craft brewers… Read  

Low and no-alcohol 

• Low and no alcohol beer: ‘We do not expect category growth to abate’:  The low and no alcohol beer category is growing. And while a desire to reduce alcohol consumption is attracting consumers to the category, this is not the only driver… Read  
• Zero alcohol in India: AB InBev to launch Budweiser and Hoegaarden non-alcoholic beers in the country:  Global brewing giant AB InBev will be launching non-alcoholic beers in India across the next three months under two major brands: Budweiser and Hoegaarden… Read    
• Anheuser-Busch on non-alcoholic beer: ‘We’re looking for new ways to capture the attention of consumers’:  Non-alcoholic beers offer an alternative to traditional alcoholic beers as consumers seek to moderate their alcohol intake. But it isn’t a case of choosing one or the other: Anheuser-Busch sees an increasing number of consumers mix both types into their social drinking… Read

Cannibis

• ‘This is the great unknown’: Cannabis-brewed beer prepares to enter the new Canadian market:  The world’s first beer brewed from cannabis will be ready when Canada legalizes cannabis beverages later this year. But preparing for a new product for a new market is no small challenge: “You’re setting sail in a ship that is totally not built yet, you don’t know where you’re going, and you don’t know what the conditions are,” says Province Brands… Listen now  
• US adults are drinking less and picking up low ABV drinks or alcohol alternatives. Cannabis is potentially the biggest market looking to snap up that audience, but can alcohol be replaced?.Read  
• Will ‘canna-curious’ adults ever ditch alcohol?  US adults are drinking less and picking up low ABV drinks or alcohol alternatives. Cannabis is potentially the biggest market looking to snap up that audience, but can alcohol be replaced?.. Read

Sustainability

• ‘How do we move forward in a sustainable way?’ Carlsberg CEO highlights the priority for the beer industry:  Carlsberg CEO Cees ‘t Hart says the most pressing issue for the beer industry today is to carve out a sustainable future – warning that millennials will walk away from the category if they don’t see environmental considerations taking a central role… Read

This is BeverageDaily.com’s monthly beer special, from the industry’s point of view.  If you don’t think of beer as an industry, think again.

• Flexible, diverse breweries are the way forward for small craft: The craft beer industry is navigating a more mature growth pattern in 2019: a theme that was explored at the 36th annual Craft Brewers Conference (CBC) in Denver… Read
• Outdoor clothing brand Patagonia sues Anheuser-Busch over ‘copycat’ beer brand: Outdoor clothing and gear brand Patagonia, Inc has filed a lawsuit against Anheuser-Busch: accusing the beer giant of ‘attempting to copy Patagonia’s famous brand identity’ with its Patagonia beer brand… Read
• Constellation Brands: ‘2019 sees a monumental shift for Corona as it expands into a more comprehensive beer family’:  Constellation Brands is expanding its core Corona brand with new launches that appeal to a wider range of consumers and occasions – including the nationwide US rollout this month of premium alcohol-spiked refresher Corona Refresca… Read
• ‘Probably not the best beer in the world – so we’ve changed it’: Carlsberg challenges drinkers to reappraise its beer: Carlsberg is relaunching in the UK with a rebrewed lager, accompanied by ‘its most honest consumer campaign ever’. Will its relaunch be able to shake up the mainstream – and can it encourage a new generation of drinkers to re-appraise its beer?.. Read
• US craft beer has settled into a ‘more mature growth pattern’: The Brewers Association (BA) released its annual growth report this week: showing craft brewery volumes have increased by 4% and now account for 13.2% of the US beer market… Read
• Samuel Adams Summer Ale gets first recipe change in 23 years: US brewer Samuel ‘Sam’ Adams has updated the formula of its seasonal favorite Summer Ale with ‘lighter and brighter’ flavors… Read
• New Zealand boasts more breweries per capita than the US, UK and Australia:  New Zealand now has more breweries on a per capita basis than the US, UK and Australia: creating a $2.3bn ($1.6bn USD) industry. And there’s still plenty of room to grow: “Highlighting our home-grown ingredients and locally produced products will go a long way to boost the overall New Zealand beer brand,” says The Brewers Association of New Zealand… Read
• Reshaping beer: Better labels, advanced branding tech and new bottle formats: Beer packaging has been a ‘sea of sameness’ for decades, according to glass container manufacturer O-I. Traditional amber glass bottles and aluminum cans covered in paper labels has been the norm, but the time may be ripe for a major change… Read
• Craft beer trends: ‘Huge growth’ in lower alcohol brews and beer in cans: The UK craft beer market is seeing ‘huge growth’ in cans and no & low alcohol beers, according to online craft beer distribution marketplace EeBriaTrade… Read
• Guinness stops using plastic packaging with its beer: Diageo’s beer brands will replace plastic ring carriers and shrink wrap with recyclable and biodegradable cardboard: the equivalent of removing 40 million plastic bottles from the world… Read
• Zero hero? Heineken wants no-alcohol beer to rival Coke in Singapore following Europe sales boom: Heineken’s new zero-alcohol beer Heineken 0.0 is the brand’s pioneering foray into the Low and No Alcohol (LNA) category in Singapore, with the firm targeting availability in locations such as salad bars, gyms and offices as it seeks to rival soft drinks giants such as Coca-Cola… Read
• Suntory Beer installs 3D printing technology to print images on beer: Suntory Beer has partnered with Ripples to roll out 700 Ripple Maker PM devices to print 3D images, emojis and messages onto beer… Read
• BrewDog acquires Berlin brewery and taproom from Stone Brewing: Scottish craft brewer BrewDog is acquiring Stone Brewing’s brewery and taproom in Berlin. It has also announced the latest round of Equity for Punks to fund its plans for a brewery in China and craft beer hotel in London… Read
• Lion acquires Magic Rock Brewing: Australian beer and beverage company Lion has acquired 100% of UK craft brewer Magic Rock Brewing Company, as it seeks to become ‘a key player’ in the UK craft market… Read
• Dunkin’ releases second beer innovation with Harpoon Brewery: Last fall Dunkin’ announced a limited edition partnership with Harpoon Brewery for its first-ever beer, the Harpoon Dunkin’ Coffee Porter. The two have teamed up again for a warm weather brew, the Harpoon Dunkin’ Summer Coffee Pale Ale. Dunkin’ also recently expanded its Signature Latte line with three permanent flavors… Read

And, thanks to reader Polly Adema, here is one more:

• Beer as a wellness beverage?  The mind boggles.

I am not a football fan and missed the Super Bowl but I gather it was a hotbed of food politics due to Bud Light’s Game of Thrones’ commercial accusing competitors of using—horrors—corn syrup in the brewing process.

To be clear, Bud Light is not brewed with corn syrup, and Miller Lite and Coors Light are. pic.twitter.com/x6tWqdSRXN

— Bud Light (@budlight) February 3, 2019

As Ed Mazza put it (Huffington Post), this has to be the weirdest twitter storm ever.   Corn growers and the Corn Refiners Association versus Bud Light?

Weird, indeed.  Who could possibly care?

Bud Light’s marketing people, I guess.

They love the fuss, and put a full page ad in the New York Times to celebrate.

It says “In the Bud Light Kingdom we love corn too! Corn on the cob, corn bread, popcorn—( just don’t brew with the syrup (what you also call ‘dextrose’)…But, even though corn syrup is less expensive, we brew with rice, along with the finest hops, barley, and water, because I’m the King and it’s not my job to save money.”

Oh please.

To make beer, you need yeast.  To get yeast to grow, you have to feed them some kind of sugar.  This could be corn syrup (corn glucose is called dextrose), some other glucose-containing sugar like high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) or sucrose, rice (yeast converts its starch to glucose, or barley treated to convert its starch to maltose (two glucose molecules bonded together) and then to glucose.  Regardless of the source of glucose, yeast metabolizes it to alcohol and characteristic flavor components.

I imagine that adding a bit of corn syrup speeds up the process, but so what?  Bud Light wants you to think that using rice instead of corn syrup makes it better than other beers.

I’m not much of a beer drinker, so I leave that one up to you.

This is about playing on public distrust of high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) which isn’t even at issue here.

The real problem with corn syrup.  The Corn Refiners Association, which pushes it and HFCS.

We would all be better off eating less sugar(s) of any kind, no matter where they come from.

The documents (thanks largely to The Hagstrom Report)

• New Food Economy
• National Corn Growers Association’s tweet
• Forbes – “Corn syrup: How Bud Light made it a Super Bowl battle”
• Fortune – “’Disappointed in You’: Corn Farmers Were Not Amused With Bud Light’s Super Bowl Commercial”
• People – “Miller Lite claps back at Bud Light’s ‘unfortunate’ corn syrup Super Bowl ad”
• CNBC – “Beware of corn syrup? Bud Light Super Bowl ad shames Miller Lite, Coors Light for using it, but dietitians say it’s not that bad”

BeverageDaily.com does a monthly special collection of industry-focused articles on beer.  This one spotlights sustainability, but includes a couple of items about—really!—cannabis-infused beer, as well as tea, coffee, and water.  As readers of this blog know, I am following the politics of cannabis edibles.  It’s now time to add drinks to the list, or what is known in the trade, apparently, as the “THC-infused beverage space.”

• Molson Coors on sustainability: ‘Changing the way industry has operated for decades is always a challenge’: As Molson Coors looks back on its first year of progress towards its 2025 sustainability and responsibility targets, it highlights two key takeaways. Firstly, the biggest challenge has been in creating a culture of change across the organization; and secondly, there’s the importance of working in partnership with other stakeholders if it is to make a sizeable difference… Read
• World Cup boost for Budweiser: ‘Football is a passion point in the new markets we’ve expanded in’:  Budweiser’s position as global sponsor of the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia has helped AB InBev drive the brand into new markets opened up by the combination with SABMiller… Read
• ‘Bountiful 2018 harvest’ predicted for US hops:  The 2018 Pacific Northwest hop acreage is forecasted to increase to a record high, while US hop grower Hopsteiner says advances in technology will further boosts this year’s harvest… Read
• Constellation Brands acquires Texas craft brewer Four Corners Brewing:  Constellation Brands has bought Texas brewer Four Corners Brewing, as it increases its focus on the high-end in the US beer market… Read
• ‘Strong start’ for Corona Premier, says Constellation Brands:  Corona Premier and Corona Familiar – the first major Corona innovations in over 25 years – are already exceeding expectations, says Constellation Brands; while it is also experimenting with premium spiked refresher Corona Refresca in test markets… Read
• Cannabiniers launches full line of THC-infused beverages:  Cannabis-infused beer, tea and coffee launch this summer from Cannabiniers brands Two Roots Brewing Co. and Just Society Cold Brew Beverages… Read
• Lagunitas launches cannabis-infused sparkling water:  Heineken’s Lagunitas is launching Hi-Fi Hops, an ‘IPA-inspired’ sparkling water infused with cannabis: saying it is the first time a major brewery has successfully been represented in the THC-infused beverage space… Read
• Lion acquires London craft brewer, Fourpure Brewing Co:  Australian-headquartered Lion has acquired London craft brewer Fourpure Brewing Co. And while Fourpure says the beer and culture will remain the same, it wants to embrace the opportunities the acquisition brings: ‘We truly hope you will see some change, otherwise why would we bother?”.. Read
• Wine tariffs eliminated as EU-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement signed:  The EU-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) has been signed this week, removing tariffs on EU wine exports to Japan… Read
• Craft brewing and business strategies: ‘Small is the new big’:  Throw out the rule book. When it comes to the craft beer business, bigger is not always better; and profit maximisation is not always the ultimate goal. Here’s why craft breweries need to think differently to other businesses… Watch now
• Nostalgia may seem nice – but alcohol brands should use with care:  An increasing number of brands are drawing on nostalgia as a marketing tool: but alcohol brands that try to appeal to an adult’s inner child must take care that they do not also inadvertently appeal to children today, warns the Portman Group… Read

And here are even more of its articles about the beer industry.  Be sure to check the one about how to personalize yours with 3D printing.

• Carlsberg to invest €100m in Kronenbourg brewery: Carlsberg will invest up to €100m ($117m) in its Kronenbourg brewery in Obernai, France; its largest brewery in Europe… Read
• Independent US craft beer production up 5% so far in 2018: There are 6,655 active craft breweries in the US with more than 2,500 in planning, according to new mid-year metrics released by the Brewers Association (BA)… Read
• Heineken and China Resources Beer announce strategic partnership: Heineken will take a $3.1bn stake in the parent of China Resources Beer, China’s largest brewer. The deal gives Heineken greater access to the Chinese market; while China Resources will be able to grow in the premium market and potentially expand its Snow brand internationally… Read
• 3D printing allows personalized beer and cocktails: Ripples has developed a system that can print custom images and messages onto beers, cocktails and coffees; at bars, shops, restaurants and hotels around the world… Read
• Carlton Zero pledges to drive up non-alcoholic beer category in Australia: Carton & United Breweries, AB InBev’s Australian subsidiary, has launched its first non-alcoholic beer in its 180 year history… Read

I hope you enjoyed the weekend.

Here’s Beverage Daily’s latest MONTHLY BEER SPECIAL:

• • AB InBev CEO: ‘Beer needs to play the natural card more’:  Beer is all about natural ingredients: and that’s something the industry needs to emphasize in order to appeal to today’s consumers, says AB InBev CEO Carlos Brito. And beer also needs to learn from wine and highlight its connections to agriculture and farming… Read
  • Finland’s carbon negative craft brewery: ‘Instead of warming the planet, we are cooling it – beer by beer’: A Finnish craft brewery hopes to go beyond carbon neutral to become carbon negative – removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere rather than simply offsetting emissions – with the broader mission of inspiring the whole brewing industry to become more sustainable… Read 
  • Craft brewing and business strategies: ‘Small is the new big’: Throw out the rule book. When it comes to the craft beer business, bigger is not always better; and profit maximisation is not always the ultimate goal. Here’s why craft breweries need to think differently to other businesses… Watch now 
  • ‘It’s hip to love hops!’ Five consumer trends in craft beer: Craft beer is here to stay: but what are consumers looking for? And what does this mean for the craft brewing industry? The good news is that craft beer consumption continues to rise; but a new report warns that building brand loyalty will be an uphill task for many craft brewers… Read
  • Heineken takes minority stake in London’s Beavertown Brewery: Heineken is investing £40m ($55m) in Beavertown Brewery: allowing the London craft brewer to increase its brewing capacity 10-fold with a new 450,000hl brewing facility and visitor experience… Read 
  • Carlsberg CEO: ‘Purpose, health and sustainability will define the future of the beer category’: Beer has a strong cultural heritage – and brewers have developed successful business models to allow them to grow and thrive – but this won’t be enough to assure the future of the category. Brewers will need to focus increasingly on the key trends valued by millennials in order to enjoy continued success, says Carlsberg CEO Cees ‘t Hart… Read 
  • New funding granted to USDA-ARS for hops research: The Brewers Association (BA) announced late last week that a grant of $900,000 has been awarded to the United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS) for the 2018 fiscal year in support of hops research… Read 
  • The key trend in the global beer industry? ‘Drinking less, but drinking better’: Beer drinkers globally are seeking quality over quantity, evidenced by continued growth in premium, super-premium and craft categories; while an increasing number of health-conscious consumers are turning to low and no alcohol varieties… Read 
  • Wetherspoon ditches French Champagne and German beer in run-up to Brexit: UK pub company JD Wetherspoon will stop stocking French Champagne and German wheat beers: instead offering more drinks from the UK and non-EU producers… Read 
  • Safety first during CO2 shortage, say trade bodies: With Europe facing a shortage of carbon dioxide, trade and food safety organisations are highlighting the importance of using reputable providers and gas of the appropriate food grade… Read 
  • Nostalgia may seem nice – but alcohol brands should use with care: An increasing number of brands are drawing on nostalgia as a marketing tool: but alcohol brands that try to appeal to an adult’s inner child must take care that they do not also inadvertently appeal to children today, warns the Portman Group… Read 
  • Boom for sparkling wine and beer sales during Royal Wedding celebrations: UK supermarket sales of sparkling wine benefited from the Royal Wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle this month, while pubs also recorded an increase in beer sales… Read 
  • Bars are working ‘harder than ever’ to deliver a unique drinking experience: A Mintel report found that 55% of all American consumers prefer drinking at home to going out; and 61% of millennials say the reason they stay home is because it’s cheaper. In response, bars need to think about offering consumers a unique experience… Read 

The industry newsletter,  BeverageDaily.com, offers a collection of recent articles about the beer business.

• Brewers Association: Microbreweries and taprooms are ‘clearly the growth engine of craft’:  The US craft beer industry is seeing most of its current and predicted future growth coming from small-scale operations like local microbreweries and taprooms, a shift away from regional breweries with multi-state distribution footprints, according to the Brewers Association… Read
• Low calorie, vegan and gluten-free beers win favor with millennial consumers: Low-calorie, vegan and gluten-free are likely to be winning attributes for beer brands who want to appeal to millennials, according to GlobalData… Read
• New era of brewing? YCH Hops sees interest around proprietary Cryo Hops:  Cryo Hops, developed by YCH Hops using a patent-pending process, has generated a buzz with brewers as the highly-concentrated ingredient means breweries, in theory, can use half the amount of hops to achieve the same desired beer flavor profiles… Read
• Oskar Blues sees adoption of larger format craft beer packaging on the rise:  After being among the first craft breweries to can its beer nearly 20 years ago, Oskar Blues of Colorado has introduced its latest packaging innovation of 24-can variety packs using collated shrink packaging engineered by The Dow Chemical Company. And the brewer says larger formats like this are now catching on in the craft category… Read
• O-I to close US plant following ‘continued decline of beer’: Owens-Illinois (OI) says it has finalized plans to stop production at its Atlanta, GA, plant on or after July 18… Read
• Japan’s major beer breweries scramble for a place in canned cocktail market:  Traditional beer manufacturers Asahi, Suntory and Kirin are extending their presence into the canned cocktail market… Read
• Irish Distillers acquires craft brewer Eight Degrees Brewing
• Pernod Ricard owned Irish Distillers – a supplier of spirits and wines and producer of Jameson Irish whiskey – has acquired craft brewer Eight Degrees Brewing… Read
• Scotland introduces minimum unit pricing for alcohol: Scotland has become the first country in the world to introduce minimum unit pricing (MUP) for alcohol, with legislation coming into effect this week… Read
• ‘Optimism and dynamism’ among independent UK brewers: In the UK, 63% of independent brewers say they expect their turnover to increase this year: showing ‘the optimism and dynamism’ of the sector against a backdrop of unprecedented competition and continued dominance of big beer, according to SIBA, the UK’s society of independent brewers… Read
• Corona charm: What can food makers learn from Latin America’s most valuable brand?  Corona leads the throng of beer brands that dominate the 2018 BrandZ Top 50 most valuable Latin American Brands list, and with only three food companies ranked it begs the question: what can industry learn from the likes of Corona and Skol?.. Read
• What – exactly – is ‘alcohol free’?  In Europe, an ‘alcohol-free’ drink is defined as one under 0.5% ABV. In the UK, however, an ‘alcohol-free’ drink must be 0.05% ABV or below. But the UK’s definition could change, with the government currently consulting on new regulations for low alcohol drinks labelling… Read
• Australian alcohol advertising code in need of ‘thorough review’ for failing to protect teens:  Current alcohol advertising regulations in Australia are failing to protect the health and well-being of adolescents, with academics claiming that it is leading to an environment that is ‘not consistent with the responsible marketing spirit’… Read