The alcohol industry is hooked on its heaviest drinkers

People often under-report their consumption so it's hard to pinpoint how much they drink. (Image: 123rf)

Sun, 26 Jan 2025

By Laura CooperMost ads for liquor or beer include a reminder to “drink responsibly”. Still, the alcohol industry depends on people who drink more than public-health officials say is safe.A fifth of adults account for an estimated 90% of alcohol sales volumes in the US, according to an analysis published in 2023 by equity research firm Bernstein. “Heavier drinkers are obviously where the money is,” said Philip Cook, a professor emeritus at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina, whose 2007 book, Paying the Tab,...

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