Alcohol consumption per capita

Alcohol consumption per capita is estimated at 12.4 units per adult per week in 2026, reflecting a compound annual growth rate of 1.4% over the five years through 2026. This modest rise follows a post-pandemic rebound, as the reopening of pubs, bars and restaurants from 2021-22 onwards restored out-of-home drinking occasions that had collapsed during lockdowns.

Despite this short-term uptick, the broader structural trend remains one of gradual decline. Rising health consciousness has encouraged many consumers, particularly younger adults, to reduce or abstain from alcohol, while the growing availability and quality of non-alcoholic alternatives has accelerated this shift. An ageing population has also contributed, as older cohorts tend to reduce consumption over time.

Economic pressures have reinforced behavioural change. Constrained household disposable incomes over the period limited discretionary spending on alcohol, while successive increases in alcohol duties pushed retail prices higher, dampening demand. These supply-side and demand-side pressures together moderated what would otherwise have been a stronger post-pandemic recovery.