The bw166 Serving Index up +1.2% in January to 123.1

The bw166 Total Beverage Alcohol Advance report shows overall consumer spending on Beverage Alcohol to be $277.5 Billion, +3.6% versus last year. Some key observations for twelve months ending January 2020:
  • The bw166 serving index is at 123.11, a 1.2% increase over the same period last year.
  • The legal drinking age (LDA) population is now 243.5 million, +1.0% versus last January.
  • 75% of the growth in the LDA population is represented by consumers over age 60.
  • Per capita consumption is only up marginally over the last year.
  • Spirits are driving all of the growth in servings in the beverage alcohol category.
  • Off-Premise Beverage Alcohol spending totals $158.5 Billion, +2.6%.
  • On-Premise Beverage Alcohol spending totals $119.0 Billion, +5.0%.
  • Consumers are shifting more of their On-Premise spending to Limited-Service Eating Places, where spending grew +10.5% over the last twelve months.  Full-Service Restaurants grew +3.7% during this period.

Note: The methodology bw166 uses to calculate total consumer spending has been revised in this current report to more accurately reflect the total market. This change has increased baseline spending by 4% though general trends have not changed.