From the way they buy their alcohol to the quantities in which they consume it, Australians’ drinking preferences are evolving. As COVID-19 re-shapes the behavioural landscape both temporarily and in the longer term, how can Aussies’ desires be better fulfilled in the moment and beyond?

Research has revealed that Australians are drinking more alcohol during lockdown. While this may be good news for drinks brands, it also raises health concerns, creating an opportunity for brands to foster safer drinking habits and improve Aussies’ understanding of drinking’s health risks.

The occasional drink is usually seen as a treat, but the easy accessibility of having alcohol delivered to the home is turning drinking into a habit instead. With two-thirds of Australians drinking more over the past 12 months, calls are being made for beverage brands to promote moderation.

Alcohol consumption may be declining Down Under, but more than two-thirds of Aussies still consider a drink with mates to be a great national tradition. Can low- and no-alcohol beers provide an adequate substitute for booze? And what constitutes a beer-drinking experience without the beer?