This report looks at the following areas:
- Overview of the on-premise alcohol market and key influencing factors
- Development trends and highlights in the on-premise alcohol market
- Insights into consumer penetration and usage of on-premise drinking venues
- Reasons and preferences for drinking out of home (OOH)
- Choice of drinking venues and considerations and service expectations for first-time and repeat visits
Operators in the foodservice and entertainment sectors should ensure high standards for their ambiance and drink quality, elevating the overall experience in line with their venue format to establish a unique competitive edge.
Marta Zhang, Senior Analyst, China Insights
Market Definitions
This Report explores consumer behaviours, attitudes and trends related to alcoholic drinks sold at any foodservice or entertainment venue (including bars, restaurants, nightclubs and sports venues).
The main foodservice and entertainment venue formats covered in this Report are restaurants, bars/pubs and entertainment venues:
- Restaurants focus on providing food, covering a variety of options from fast food to high-end cuisine;
- Bars/pubs focus on providing alcoholic beverages/drinks and spaces to socialise;
- Entertainment venues include karaoke rooms, nightclubs etc, with entertainment experiences as their core offering.
Retail alcohol (ie alcohol purchased from a grocery store, mass merchandiser or off-licence) is not the focus of this Report. For more information on alcohol from a retail perspective, please see Mintel Report China Consumption Habits of Alcoholic Drinks.
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Executive summary
- Key issues covered in this Report
- Definition
- What you need to know
- The market
- Market overview
- Market factors
- Market highlights – restaurants and entertainment venues
- Market highlights – bars
- The consumer
- Consumers are drinking OOH less often, prioritising lower-ABV options
- Graph 1: consumption frequency, 2024
- Graph 2: usage of product types, 2024
- Relaxation and stress relief surpass atmosphere enhancement as the main drivers for drinking out
- Graph 3: reasons for purchasing alcoholic drinks OOH, 2024
- Intentional spending means consumers are unwilling to compromise on quality
- Graph 4: preferences regarding on-premise drinking – drink preferences, 2024
- Graph 5: preferences regarding on-premise drinking – spending preferences, 2024
- Retain frequent drinkers through cutting-edge experiences
- Graph 6: interest in upgrades, 2024
- Wining and dining is common, while karaoke ranks top among entertainment venues
- Graph 7: on-premise drinking venue choices, 2024
- Aesthetics are key to attracting first-time visitors…
- Graph 8: venue selection factors, 2024
- …but quality is essential for customer retention
- Graph 9: key factors for repeat visits, 2024
- Issues and insights
- What we think
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The market
- Market overview
- Social reconnection drives continued growth in on-premise alcohol sales after a strong recovery in 2023
- Market factors
- The mindful drinking trend continues
- Graph 10: changes in spending – alcoholic drinks, 2023-24
- Graph 11: changes in spending – eating out (a), 2023-24
- The night-time economy is driving growth in the ‘tipsy economy’, expanding into lower tier markets
- Atmosphere enhancement is among the top reasons for drinking out
- The buzz around sports events is set to boost foodservice alcohol consumption
- Exhibitions and international events professionalise and internationalise the alcoholic drink industry
- On-premise venues should emphasise sustainability
- Sustainable concepts continue to bubble up in the on-premise drink industry
- Market highlights
- Restaurants: provide more integrated food and drink experiences
- Restaurants: regional cuisine bistros offer fresh perspectives on food and drink pairing
- Restaurants: hybrid formats create new consumption occasions
- Bars: food-inspired cocktails and culinary-themed drink menus
- Bars: community concepts are gaining traction
- Bars: Helen’s launches a new community strategy
- Bars: home bar culture is on the rise in Tier 1 cities
- Graph 12: social media* mentions of ‘homebar’, 2024
- Bars: from ‘city walk’ to ‘city drink’
- Entertainment venues: crafting one-stop experiences
- Entertainment venues: livehouses become a platform for alcohol brand innovation
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The consumer
- Usage of alcoholic drinks
- The mindful drinking trend continues: consumers are drinking OOH less often, prioritising lower-ABV options
- Graph 13: usage of product types, 2024
- Graph 14: consumption frequency, 2024
- Nearly six in 10 out-of-home drinkers enjoy alcohol semi-frequently, and consumers drink more often as they get older
- Women are a key segment to focus on
- Graph 15: usage of product types, by gender, 2024
- Appeal to younger cocktail enthusiasts by highlighting the expertise of cocktail bars
- Graph 16: usage of product types, by generation, 2024
- Reasons for purchasing alcoholic drinks OOH
- Relaxation and stress relief surpass atmosphere enhancement as the main drivers for drinking out
- Graph 17: reasons for purchasing alcoholic beverages OOH, 2024
- Upgrade experiences to attract frequent drinkers
- Graph 18: reasons for purchasing alcoholic drinks OOH, by consumption frequency, 2024
- Post-1980s and post-1990s consumers focus on different aspects of drinking
- Graph 19: reasons for purchasing alcoholic beverages OOH, by generation, 2024
- High-income earners’ diverse drinking motivations are worth further exploration
- Graph 20: reasons for purchasing alcoholic drinks OOH, by monthly personal income, 2024
- Graph 21: repertoire of reasons for purchasing alcoholic drinks OOH, by monthly personal income, 2024
- Preferences regarding on-premise drinks
- Consumers still pursue quality when drinking OOH, but purse strings are tightening
- Graph 22: preferences regarding on-premise alcohol – spending preferences, 2024
- Graph 23: preferences regarding on-premise alcohol – drink preferences, 2024
- Women aged 25-29 spend more freely on alcohol
- Graph 24: preferences regarding on-premise alcohol, by age and gender, 2024
- Adjust product diversity and uniqueness to match target customer preferences
- Graph 25: preferences regarding on-premise alcohol, by consumption frequency, 2024
- Graph 26: preferences regarding on-premise alcohol – venue preferences, 2023 vs 2024
- Interest in upgrades
- New product tastings are the most effective marketing strategy
- Graph 27: interest in upgrades, 2024
- Refine marketing strategies to expand the female audience
- Graph 28: interest in upgrades, by gender and age, 2024
- Custom products and services present opportunities for premiumisation
- Graph 29: interest in upgrades, by monthly personal income, 2024
- Clear guides on menus facilitate product selection and communication
- Retain frequent drinkers through cutting-edge experiences and brand value
- Graph 30: interest in upgrades, by consumption frequency, 2024
- On-premise drinking venue choices
- Restaurants are the top drinking venues, followed by entertainment venues and bars
- Graph 31: on-premise drinking venue choices, 2024
- Women drink less often but choose the same or an even wider variety of venues
- Graph 32: on-premise drinking venue choices, by gender, 2024
- Post-1990s consumers focus on alcohol, while the post-1970s/80s generations value both food and drink
- Graph 33: on-premise drinking venue choices, by generation, 2024
- Guangzhou’s live music scene is worth watching
- Graph 34: on-premise drinking venue choices – livehouses, by city, 2024
- Graph 35: social media* mentions of ‘city + livehouse’, by city, 2024
- Venue selection factors
- Aesthetics are key to enhancing a venue’s appeal
- Graph 36: venue selection factors, 2024
- High-income consumers expect better experiences at higher-priced restaurants
- Graph 37: venue selection factors – atmosphere/decoration, by monthly personal income, 2024
- Men and women focus on different aspects when choosing bars
- Graph 38: venue selection factors – pubs/bars, by gender, 2024
- Extended opening hours may attract more drinkers
- Graph 39: venue selection factors – operating hours, by consumption frequency, 2024
- From evening drinks to afternoon sips
- Key factors for repeat visits
- Quality is key to retaining customers
- Graph 40: key factors for repeat visits, 2024
- Women seek high quality, men seek consistency
- Graph 41: key factors for repeat visits, by gender, 2024
- Engage female consumers with an inviting atmosphere
- Graph 42: key factors for repeat visits – great atmosphere, by gender and age, 2024
- Examples of venues enhancing atmosphere through sensory qualities
- Create high-quality yet cost-effective happy places for Gen Z
- Graph 43: key factors for repeat visits, by generation, 2024
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Issues and insights
- Restaurants: help consumers choose the right food and drink pairings
- Enhance the dining experience with drink pairing recommendations
- Provide pairing suggestions on food menus
- Reach a wider audience more quickly with craft beer pairings
- Leverage digital engagement to provide targeted pairing recommendations
- Bars: elevate the drinking experience beyond boozing to create memorable moments
- Harness the power of positive experiences
- It starts with the atmosphere, but it doesn’t end there
- Upgrade the experience by connecting bars and patrons through music
- Tech-driven experiences are the future
- Entertainment venues: leverage hybrid spaces to cater to diverse needs
- Focus on developing hybrid entertainment spaces
- Expand into diverse settings with music at the core
- Small commercial spaces can also embrace diverse formats
- Strike a balance between novelty and comfort
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Appendix – market size and forecast, methodology and abbreviations
- Market size and forecast
- Methodology
- Abbreviations
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