E-Malt.com News article: Japan: Asahi Breweries CEO blames risse in screentie for declining alcohol consumption

A precipitous rise in screentime — be it gaming, social media or digital entertainment — may be to blame for declining alcohol consumption, says Asahi Breweries chief executive Atsushi Katsuki, Bottle Raiders reported on May 20.

On May 18, Katsuki spoke with the Financial Times about plateauing sales across the industry. Though health fears and inflation have frequently been attributed to the trend, Katsuki argues that a simpler explanation may lie on our computer screens. If true, his theory would go a long way toward explaining why younger consumers in particular have picked up sobriety at an unprecedented rate.

“Alcohol used to occupy a much bigger share of people’s entertainment and joy,” Katsuki said. “In the past 10 years, the number of entertaining things has grown including gaming, so I believe alcohol’s share of fun, enjoyment and happiness has decreased.”

Asahi Group is one of the largest brewers in the world, with a market capitalization valued at over $19 billion as of last summer. Katsuki has served as the company’s president and CEO since 2021.

During his tenure, Katuski has steered the brewing giant through a seismic shift in consumption habits. Gen Z is reportedly drinking around one-third less beer and wine than previous generations, with alcohol consumption at large declining 10% among the 18 to 34 crowd over the past two decades. The trend is slowly but surely translating into declining sales. Total spirits revenue dropped by 1.1% in 2024 according to the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States, and polling indicates that figure may climb in years to come.

One of the most obvious culprits is the economy. Inflation rates and flaring trade tensions have driven many consumers to spend conservatively, especially when it comes to $100-plus “super premium” products in the liquor category.

“Broadly speaking, the increase in expenses on essentials such as housing and healthcare grew more than the expenses on non-durables,” Christine LoCascio, Chief of Policy, Strategy and Membership at DISCUS, said during a virtual press conference. “While inflation has been coming down from its high a few years ago, consumers are still facing higher prices. They have less discretionary spending on items like beverage alcohol and luxury items like spirits.”

Economic woes have coincided with a sharp uptick in health concerns. A blockbuster study published by the U.S. Surgeon General in January linked alcohol use to at least seven types of cancer. Officials have urged Congress to update alcohol advisories as necessary, possibly paving the way for the kind of warning labels introduced on cigarettes throughout the 1960s and 70s. The World Health Organization has followed suit, publicly recommending that there is “no safe level” of alcohol consumption.

Elsewhere, declining alcohol use has been attributed to THC legalization, the skyrocketing popularity of weight-loss drugs and the advent of Dry January and Sober October. More likely than not, the truth lies in some combination of all the above.

Katsuki’s theory regarding screentime may now be added to the pile. However, it’s one of the few speculated causes lacking a comprehensive body of literature. And not everyone is on the same page. One of the only studies investigating the trend, published by Frontiers in Nutrition in early 2021, suggested that digital entertainment and sedentary behavior led to an increased desire for alcohol, smoking and sweetened foods.

Few — if any — studies have addressed the impact of screentime on alcohol consumption in the years after COVID-19 lockdowns lifted.


21 May, 2025