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Lager must act differently to appeal to women

Lager value sales have fallen by 10% in the past five years and Mintel forecasts that even beyond the current recession the market will continue to see a year-on-year decline. The problem is that fewer people are drinking alcohol, meaning that competition between drinks is more intense than ever.

The categories that will do well are those, such as wine, whose targeting transcends gender and age. However, lager consumption is currently too dominated by men aged 18-34.

Mintel's latest research shows that half as many women drink lager as men. This is a major disadvantage: drinking is increasingly being done in the home rather than in pubs, meaning that a compromise purchase between the genders is key to future sales. This is where wine has profited, with research showing that many men switch from lager to wine when they drink at home.

Mintel's research also shows that women are most attracted to benefits in lager that they might look for in wine, such as being low in calories, complimenting food and tasting fruitier than traditional lager.

Molson Coors attempt to crack the female market has led to the launch of the UK's first clear lager, with a flavour of green tea and dragon fruit. However, brewers don't have to throw the baby out with the bathwater, particularly at the risk of alienating lager's core male consumers. With women less enthusiastic than men when it comes to drinking in volume, there is an opportunity to target them with fruitier flavoured lager served in smaller, stylish glasses, to be sipped and savoured. Cider, and more recently cask ale, has succeeded in attracting more women to male-dominated categories by stressing their upmarket credentials.

A synopsis of Mintel's lager UK market research, November 09, by Jonny Forsyth, senior drinks analyst at Mintel

The full research report available from Mintel contains the following section headings:
Market in Brief
Internal Market Environment
Broader Market Environment
Competitive Context
Strengths and Weaknesses in the Market
Who’s Innovating?
Market Size and Forecast
Segment Performance
Market Share
Companies and Products
Channels to Market
Brand Communication and Promotion
Brand Elements
Consumer Usage
Consumer Motivations for Purchasing
Consumer Attitudes to ABV
Targeting Consumers Attitudinally