Australian gin drinking is on the rise
Gin has enjoyed a renaissance in Australia over the last five years, according to Australian market research organisation Roy Morgan Research.
In 2009, 636,000 Aussie adults drank gin in any given four-week period — but by 2013 this figure had grown by almost 50 per cent to 947,000. While slightly more women (483,000) than men (464,000) drank gin in 2013, the spirit’s popularity had risen almost equally among both genders. Men accounted for 49 per cent of gin drinkers in 2013, just as they did in 2009.
“In what is sure to be intoxicating news for gin distillers, the last five years have seen an increase in the popularity of the spirit in Australia, particularly among younger drinkers,” said Angela Smith, Group Account Director – Consumer Products, Roy Morgan Research. “No doubt contributing to the trend has been the establishment of specialised gin bars over the last few years, such as the Gin Garden in Sydney or the longer-standing Gin Palace in Melbourne, which serve multiple gin brands and gin-based cocktails,” she said.
“What’s more, several boutique gin distilleries have sprung up in Australia in recent years, possibly generating interest in the spirit among our more patriotic imbibers,” Ms Smith said.
Gin’s popularity grows across all age groups
Furthermore, gin’s popularity grew among all age groups, although the growth was faster in some age groups than others. Whereas 91,000 18-24 year olds drank gin in an average four weeks during 2009, this figure had surged to 175,000 by 2013 — a 92 per cent increase. The number of gin drinkers aged between 25 and 34 also shot up during the same period, from 126,000 to 205,000.
“Using Roy Morgan’s revolutionary new profiling tool, Helix Personas, we can now identify with unparalleled accuracy which sectors of society are most likely to be getting into the swing of drinking gin,” Ms Smith said.
“For example, over the last two years, 23 per cent of Drinkers in the ‘Social Flyers’ segment drank gin, compared to 7 per cent of total Drinkers,” Ms Smith said.
“Social Flyers are highly educated young singles and de factos, and lead high-flying, hectic lifestyles,” Ms Smith said. “Living in urban areas, nightclubs, pubs, casinos and concerts are their nocturnal turf and they believe in the value of a few beverages to get a party started – and increasingly their favourite is gin,” she said.
