A third of UK drinkers consuming less alcohol than a year ago

The survey from premium soft drink, tonic and mixer brand Franklin & Sons and Launchpad Research also claims consumers are being more mindful about their alcohol consumption with the key reasons including going out less often (43%), trying to get fit (30%) and saving money (27%).

Franklin & Sons brand manager Rosie Crossman said: “We are definitely seeing a trend towards quality over quantity when it comes to the way people drink.

“Socialising means more to our consumers than a couple of pints down the pub, they demand Instagram-worthy serves, which aren’t packed full of artificial colours, flavours or sugar or high in calories.”

Ripe with opportunities​

Out of the hundreds of under 35-year-olds that were surveyed, the research also showed British drinkers are swapping strong cocktails for low-ABV spirits or sophisticated soft drinks, and require the serves to have an ‘Instagrammable’ look, according to the study.

It showed that almost a third are swapping to these options over high-strength cocktails and a whopping 79% of consumers would opt for a non-alcoholic serve – drinking a fifth less than Generation X.

Irrespective of whether alcohol is involved or not, the study found 60% of Millennials want their drinks to look good for social media and 75% of 18 to 34-year-olds regularly post photos of their drinks.

This means that licensed venues should ensure that they are ripe with Instagram opportunities, by offering on-trend recipes and serving them in unconventional ways, to provide the ultimate social media moment.

What makes consumers share a photo of a drink on social media?​