Daily Mail, 30 November 2017

  • Recent statistics show women aged 16-24 now out drink men of the same age
  • According to the OECD, educated British women are most likely to binge drink
  • Alcohol Advent calendars and pink drinks are encouraging daily drinking
  • Experts believe alcohol is becoming feminine to help the sector grow 
  • Marita Moore, 36, believes wine o’clock is a culture among female professionals

For generations of children, opening the doors of an advent calendar in the run-up to Christmas has been a delightful tradition. But the new breed of festive calendar isn’t aimed at under-18s.

From tomorrow, many of us will be ticking off the December days with a slug of gin or a glug of prosecco — because stores from Aldi to John Lewis are awash with boozy versions.

Forget Nativity scenes and chocolate treats. Nestling behind each cardboard window is a little bottle — and as they all contain alcoholic drinks mostly favoured by women, it’s clear who the makers are targeting.

There’s the Superstar Sparkling Advent Calendar (£125 for 24 20cl bottles of white and rose fizz from thepipstop.co.uk); the Ginvent Calendar (£125 for 24 3cl bottles, waitrosegifts.com); or the Boutique-y Gin Company Advent Calendar (£99.95 for 24 3cl bottles, amazon.co.uk).

The list goes on — and they are selling like hot cakes. Aldi boasts that its £49.99 wine calendar sold out within two days of hitting the shelves on November 1.

Recent statistics show young women have become the biggest binge drinkers in the country

The list goes on — and they are selling like hot cakes. Aldi boasts that its £49.99 wine calendar sold out within two days of hitting the shelves on November 1.

Sir Ian Gilmore, chairman of the 40-strong group of charities Alcohol Health Alliance UK, is clear that the rise in heavy drinking among women is the result of targeted industry efforts.

A recent paper from The Institute of Alcohol Studies states: ‘Alcohol industry growth can come in three ways: by encouraging more people to drink, by encouraging people to drink more, and by encouraging them to drink more expensive drinks.

Vhari Russell, of The Food Marketing Expert, which advises food and drinks companies on marketing strategies, says: ‘There has been a huge rise in gin sales, fuelled by the rise of trendy artisan gin-makers. But there’s no doubt the biggest driving force has been women.

Andrew Misell, a director of Alcohol Concern, is firm about the increased risk to women. ‘The concerted effort from the alcohol industry to market products and brands specifically to women is worrying,’ he says.

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