Pub drinkers ‘more likely’ to be retired or single

12-Jun-2018 - Last updated on 12-Jun-2018 at 10:04 GMT

Stark variations: the demographic of pub and home drinkers is very different

People who drink beer and cider in the pub once a week or more are more likely to be retired and single than those who drink at home, according to a new study.

The study titled 'Glass half full or half empty? How UK beer and cider brands are faring', cites data from research agency YouGov, to profile the demographic of pub and home drinkers.

It finds that people aged over 55 make up half (50%) of pubgoers, with men accounting for the majority of those. Pub drinkers are more likely to be retired and single, as opposed to home drinkers who are more likely to have children more likely to not be working.

However, pubgoers are also less likely to have money worries and be happy with their standard of living. They are not overly concerned about routines and like to try new products. They also watch and play a lot of sports, especially cricket, snooker and football.

Bridging the gap

While pubs up and down the land are full of wonderfully diverse people, our research indicates that those who drink only in pubs share certain characteristics, especially when compared to those that only drink at home," said Amelia Brophy, YouGov's Head of Data Products UK.

"Pub drinkers are much more likely than at-home drinkers to be men aged 55+, who are confident with money. By contrast, those who tend to have a tipple at home are more likely to be women with children aged 35-44, with less disposable income. They are also more likely to be more introverted and less socially confident.

"One way to bridge the gap between these groups and broadening pubs’ appeal is to have an offering at a price this group feels comfortable with – as many forward thinking hostelries are already doing. Many pubs have also become more open and family-friendly, which may also help."

Best performing brands revealed

The report also reveals the beer and cider brands that are performing best in terms of customer perception of quality, and which brands consumers were most likely to recommend to their friends. Guinness was perceived as being the brand that customers most associated with quality, followed by Peroni and Old Speckled Hen.

Drinkers were most likely to recommend BrewDog, Peroni and Kopparberg, and least likely to recommend Carling, Foster's and Tennent’s.

Last month, YouGovt revealed that the average price of a pint of beer in Britain is 60p more than Brits think is reasonable. The research agency asked more than 40,000 Britons what they considered to be a reasonable price for a pint at the pub and compared the public’s opinion against the average prices of pints across the nation.

The results show that the national average 'reasonable' price for a pint, as perceived by Britons, is £3 – 60p lower than the national average cost of an actual pint.