"Preferring Marijuana Over Alcohol" - US Breweries 'Thirsty' Amid Changing Tastes

"This Year's Beer Shipment Volume Expected to Be the Lowest in 25 Years"

On the 27th (local time), the US Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported that due to changing preferences among the younger generation in the United States, beer shipments this year are expected to be the lowest in 25 years.

Market research firm Beer Marketers Insights revealed that US beer shipments from January to September this year decreased by more than 5%. This is attributed to changes in consumer preferences, with young people drinking less alcohol compared to older generations and preferring distilled spirits over beer. As a result, beer companies are experiencing a decline in sales.

According to a survey conducted by market research firm MRI-Simmons in the third quarter of this year, among adult age groups in the US, Generation Z (young people born from the mid-1990s to early 2000s) consumes the least alcohol. 58% of respondents said they had consumed alcohol in the past six months. Among them, 87% reported drinking distilled spirits, which was higher than the 56% who said they drank beer.

It was found that people avoid beer in particular for health reasons such as weight loss. Marijuana was also cited as a factor contributing to the decline in beer consumption. Vivien Ajer, an analyst at US investment bank TD Cowen, stated that in states where recreational marijuana has been legalized, some consumers are switching from drinking alcohol to smoking marijuana. The legal marijuana sales in the US this year are estimated at $29 billion (approximately 37.3 trillion KRW). TD Cowen projected that the number of marijuana users could reach 18 million over the next five years, while the number of alcohol consumers could decrease by 2 million.

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