1960 was the year consumption increased for the first time after a long post-WW II decline. And 1979 is the last year it increased. From 1980 onwards another long period of decline began. One which still hasn't ended.
It's fascinating - though surely a coincidence - that the 1979 peak is almost exactly the same as that of 1914 (125.06 litres), the date after which the long, slow 20th-century decline kicked off.
Beer consumption increased by 43% between 1960 and 1979. Which is pretty impressive. But pales into insignificance compared to other alcoholic drinks. Cider consumption rose by 138%, spirits by 171% and wine by 252%. Clearly beer was in reality faring relatively badly.
I'm particularly intrigued by consumption of all drinks trending upwards during the 1970s, which were quite tough times, economically. With unemployment on the rise, why did the increase in beer consumption not stall?
| UK alcohol consumption 1960 - 1979 (litres) | ||||
| Year | spirits | wine | beer | cider |
| 1960 | 0.7 | 2.3 | 86.1 | 1.6 |
| 1961 | 0.8 | 2.4 | 89.2 | 1.7 |
| 1962 | 0.8 | 2.5 | 88.6 | 1.6 |
| 1963 | 0.8 | 2.8 | 89 | 1.6 |
| 1964 | 0.9 | 3.1 | 92.6 | 1.6 |
| 1965 | 0.8 | 3 | 91.9 | 1.7 |
| 1966 | 0.8 | 3.1 | 93.7 | 1.8 |
| 1967 | 0.8 | 3.4 | 94.8 | 2.1 |
| 1968 | 0.9 | 3.8 | 96.6 | 2.1 |
| 1969 | 0.8 | 3.7 | 100.4 | 2.4 |
| 1970 | 0.9 | 3.7 | 103 | 2.6 |
| 1971 | 1 | 4.4 | 106.2 | 2.6 |
| 1972 | 1.1 | 5 | 107.6 | 2.6 |
| 1973 | 1.4 | 6.3 | 113.3 | 2.8 |
| 1974 | 1.5 | 6.7 | 116.1 | 2.8 |
| 1975 | 1.5 | 6.3 | 118.5 | 3.3 |
| 1976 | 1.6 | 6.5 | 120.7 | 3.8 |
| 1977 | 1.4 | 6.3 | 119.1 | 3.6 |
| 1978 | 1.7 | 7.5 | 121.3 | 3.7 |
| 1979 | 1.9 | 8.1 | 123.4 | 3.8 |
| Source: | ||||
| Brewers Society Statistical Handbook 1990, page 34. | ||||
I'm assuming these are volumes of beer/wine/etc, not volumes of alcohol (we weren't putting away 137 litres of alcohol per head per year in 1979, surely). If that's the case, then - making a few assumptions about strengths - it looks as if people were getting less of their alcohol from beer, and more from spirits in particular, right through the 1945-79 period, even while overall consumption was increasing. Beer's share of alcohol consumption looks as if it peaks in 1945 at over 90%, and steadily declines to around 70% in 1979.
ReplyDeleteThe big increases in unemployment, above 6%, was after 1980, as the bad recession was 1980-1982
ReplyDeletePhil,
ReplyDeletebeer and wine are actual volumes. While spirits have been converted to the equivalent amount of 100% alcohol. I should have made that clear.
Lambicman,
ReplyDeletebut you had the oil crisis and the 3-day week in the early 1970s.
If you ever come across a breakout by age and gender it would be interesting to see. I know in recent years brewers have worried a lot about women and younger men to drink beer and it would be interesting to know how overall consumption tracks the subgroups.
ReplyDelete