Phil Lempert on Drinking Practices During the Pandemic

Phil Lempert is a television and radio news reporter, newspaper columnist, author, consumerologist, and food marketing expert. For more than 25 years, Lempert, an expert analyst on consumer behavior, marketing trends, new products, and the changing retail landscape, has identified and explained impending trends to consumers and some of the most prestigious companies worldwide. Known as The Supermarket Guru®, Lempert is a distinguished author and speaker who alerts customers and business leaders to impending corporate and consumer trends, and empowers them to make educated purchasing and marketing decisions.

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TRANSCRIPT:

Whichever you might choose, the reality is that during COVID-19 more people are drinking alcohol earlier in the day and more of it. HOP WTR, a hop-filled sparkling water that is brewed with adaptogens (to stabilize physiological processes) and nootropics (to improve cognitive functions) and is a beer replacement that has zero alcohol, calories, gluten and sugars sponsored a survey by OnePoll to find out just how we are coping with drinking during the pandemic.

The survey polled 2000 Americans (approximately 800 of whom are over 21 and working from home) to examine the bad habits people are picking up during lockdown and the impact it’s having on their planning for the new year. Forty-six percent of those working from home have clocked out early to pour themselves a drink at least once during their time in quarantine. Another 45% of these respondents have even admittedly taken the liberty of having an alcoholic drink during the workday.The survey also discovered that 53% of those polled have been drinking alcohol more frequently during lockdown. More than six in 10 employed respondents shared that virtual happy hours with their co-workers has increased their alcohol intake during quarantine. Over half (52%) of respondents also said that they’ve felt the need to drink while watching the news this year and they average about four adult beverages each week.

For some, 6 in 10 adults, their new year’s resolutions include drinking less. The survey also found that 2 in 5 of all respondents shared they’ve been snacking more, enjoying more comfort foods and been stress-eating an average of three times a week.

Two other bad habits picked up during the pandemic includes 32% drinking too much caffeine and 23% say they are staying in pajamas all day.