'Pre-loaders' spend more in the pub, survey finds

Cheap supermarket booze is driving more people to drink at home before a night out in the pub, according to a new survey.

Findings of a poll by corporate advisory firm Zolfo Cooper found 44 per cent fewer people were drinking in pubs and bars than was the case six months ago, concluding that the "availability of low priced off-trade alcohol is having a damaging effect" on the sector.

But in a bizarre twist Zolfo Cooper found that people who consume alcohol at home before going for a night out - known as 'pre-loaders' - actually spend a third more in a pub than customers who wait until they get to the pub for their first drink.

Its survey found that pre-loaders' average spend in a pub or bar was £22.10, a third more than those who do not drink at home first.

The firm's Leisure Wallet Report found that pre-loading is most prevalent among the 18 to 34 year-old age group, but that nearly 80 per cent of all consumers drink at home first, before going for a night out.

Paul Hemming, a partner at the firm, said its findings via a poll of nearly 3,000 adults in March backed the case that cheap supermarket alcohol was "a more serious driver of heavy drinking than the actions of the pub and bar operators".

But "visiting pubs remains popular and they remain the key venue for drinking - more than 90 per cent of out-of-home drinkers across the UK have visited a pub in the last six months".

And atmosphere, rather than price, was a key driver for many when it comes to visiting a certain pub or bar, as is whether a pub offers internet access.

However 41 per cent of the 18 to 34 year-old age group cite price as a consideration when choosing a watering hole.

"With the internet generation, consumers are more aware of those outlets with a good atmosphere and embracing technology is likely to become increasingly important for operators," the survey concluded.

Meanwhile with a general election less than a week away, Zolfo Cooper's survey found that consumer spending patterns are unlikely to change regardless of wins the keys to Number 10 Downing Street.