Alcohol Consumption Over Christmas

The UK Office for National Statistics reported that, in 2021, 9,641 deaths were caused by alcohol misuse. There has been a significant increase in alcohol-specific deaths since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic–a problem that is especially emphasised around Christmas and New Year’s. Over the festive period, much of the western world engages in excessive alcohol consumption, with the UK being no exception. As such, there is an increase in alcohol-related violence and health issues during the holidays.

And yet, despite the harmful consequences of immoderate drinking, the alcohol industry is known to exploit Christmas to further increase profits.

There is a long-standing association between festivities and alcohol consumption, dating back many centuries. In the UK, there are deep-rooted social norms surrounding drinking culture, with alcoholism and binge drinking being normalised in our society all year long. The alcohol industry is financially dependent on heavy drinking; 68% of alcohol sales revenue is accounted for by people who drink more than the government-recommended guidelines suggest. These companies are therefore eager to utilize these social norms, encouraging even heavier drinking during December.

In order to do so, Christmas alcohol marketing not only increases in prevalence, but also begins earlier and earlier each year. These companies usually promote novel Christmas-specific products, in an attempt to encourage consumers to give alcohol as a gift. For example, flavoured alcoholic beverages (e.g., gingerbread or candy cane flavoured liqueur), as well as gift boxes that contain multiple individuals drinks. Companies often also increase their promotion of their ‘premium’ drinks, as people are more likely to treat themselves and their loved ones around the holidays. These tactic increase profits because people purchase alcohol not just for their own consumption, but to gift to someone else.

The alcohol industry is faced with some challenges when it comes to their festive marketing campaigns. With regard to legal restrictions, alcohol advertisements must neither promote excessive drinking, nor target people under the age of 18. As a way around this, these ads often focus on gift giving or small social scenes like dinner parties.

From an ethical standpoint, the encouragement of drinking–without mention of the health risks associated with alcohol–could tarnish a brand’s reputation. It is therefore common for alcohol companies to fund social responsibility initiatives that focus on raising awareness about the risks of alcohol consumption, in an attempt to distance themselves from the serious harm alcohol can cause. This is an effective method of protecting brand image, but research indicates that these initiatives are disingenuous, performative, and ineffective at promoting safer drinking habits.

In spite of the questionable morals underlying alcohol marketing around Christmas, it is unlikely that this approach will lose effectiveness any time soon. If anything, excessive drinking will likely continue to rise, with an increasing number of people turning to alcohol in response to the stress of the current cost of living crisis. There is a definite need for stricter limitations surrounding the marketing of alcohol, in addition to more tangible consequences if the alcohol industry fails to effectively inform the public about the dangers of binge drinking.