Spirits giant Allied Domecq has completed one of the biggest ever surveys of global drinking habits.
The results of the six-year research project will be used to develop new brands and products, as well as to better focus the company's support for different sectors of the licensed trade, and different types of venue.
Allied Domecq, which owns brands including Tia Maria, Malibu, Beefeater and Kahlua, questioned more than 35,000 drinkers worldwide. The survey looked not simply at spirits, but also at wine, beer and other drinks categories, in order to build up a detailed profile of the way consumers vary their drinks according to where they are and what they're doing.
Louise Bowden, PR manager for Allied Domecq UK, said: "In all, we identified 192 different choices that people make. What's interesting is that the choices don't differ very much from country to country, but they differ widely between the on and off-trade, and particularly according to the type of venue and the occasion."
Examples might include a social drinker switching brands to fit in with others in the group, or a club-goer having a tipple to release their inhibitions before taking to the dancefloor.
Ms Bowden cited the recently launched Tia Lusso cream liqueur as an example of the type of targeted product development undertaken using the research.
"It's too early to be very specific, but the fundamental differences between on-trade and off-trade is key in Allied Domecq's thinking, and the differences that venues in particular make to drink choices is key for the pub trade.
"Allied Domecq is very excited about the research, it's going to make a big difference to our approach to the market, and we hope that as the pub trade learns more about it in the next six months to a year, they are going to be very excited too."
It is thought that the £6m research initiative may also lead to Allied Domecq's expansion into other retail areas such as specialised branded clothing and branded holidays.
The choice of drink is determined by three factors:
- age and sex
- location and whether food is involved
- consumer's state of mind as they approach the bar.