Who was drinking Lager in the 1970s?

With my head stuck firmly up the arse of the seventies, this is a question which has crossed my mind often of late. Who were all the new coverts to Lager that were making its sales boom?

I could make all sorts of prejudiced guesses and assumptions. But, thankfully, someone bothered to do research at the time. Not exactly disinterested research, as it was at the behest of Lager brewers themselves.

Let's start with a brewer close to home: Heineken. 

"The company have also carried out an extensive research project into the market for draught lager and they have found that most draught lager drinkers tend to be in the younger age group, half of the present drinkers being under 35, and three quarters under 45."
Brewers' Guardian, Volume 99, March 1970, page 44.

I'm amazed that 25% of Lager drinkers were over 45. Had they been drinking Lager for years or were they new converts, too? Or, perhaps, Scottish?

There was a downside, though. These new Lager drinkers had little brand loyalty:

"Heineken's view on the annual 30 per cent increase in this market is that one-bird of the present draught lager drinkers started drinking it in the last year. It was also found that brand preferences are low - nine out of ten people would willingly accept another brand if their usual one was not available."
Brewers' Guardian, Volume 99, March 1970, page 44.

What had these new Lager drinkers been drinking before?

"Heineken say that most people who do not drink draught lager have not tried it because they regard it as too expensive. In view of this they strongly recommend that the retail price for Draught Heineken should be at 2s. lOd. per pint. Finally, although many licensees appear to think that the introduction of draught lager will hit bottled lager sales, it seems to Heineken that a sizeable proportion of the present draught lager drinkers are drawn from the ranks of previous draught bitter and keg drinkers - hence the promotion of Draught Heineken as a new draught beer."
Brewers' Guardian, Volume 99, March 1970, page 44.

What a surprise - cask and keg Bitter. Though I'm sure there must have been some converts from Mild, too.

Another Lager brewer found a similar age profile:

"Since lager is increasing in popularity each year, who is drinking it? According to a market survey conducted recently for Skol, it is men and women between the ages of 20 and 40 who find lager their favourite tipple. People generally have more money in their pockets these days and are prepared to spend it on more “sophisticated” drinks providing they offer value for money."
Brewers' Guardian, Volume 99, March 1970, page 46.

Young people with too much money. That's who's to blame. As always.