scholarly journals Comparing the day temperature and holiday effects on retail sales of alcoholic beverages – a time-series analysis

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin Hirche ◽  
Juliane Haensch ◽  
Larry Lockshin

Purpose Little research on the influence of external factors, such as weather and holiday periods, on retail sales on alcoholic beverages is available. This study aims to investigate how weekly retail sales of different alcoholic beverages vary in association with daily maximum temperatures and annual federal holidays across selected US counties in the years 2013 to 2015. The research provides information, which can contribute to better sales forecasts. Design/methodology/approach Secondary data of weekly retail sales (volume) of alcoholic beverages from 37,346 stores in 651 counties in the USA are analysed. The data cover on average 21% of all existing US counties and 12% of the total US off-trade retail sales of alcoholic beverages in the period studied (Euromonitor, 2017). Additional data of federal holidays and meteorological data are collated for each county in the sample. Seasonal autoregressive integrated moving average models with exogenous regressors (SARIMAX) are applied to develop forecasting models and to investigate possible relationships and effects. Findings The results indicate that off-trade retail sales of beer, liquor, red and white wine are temperature sensitive throughout the year, while contrary to expectations rosé, sparkling and other wines are not. Sales sensitivities to temperature also differ by geography. In the warmest regions, liquor and white wine sales do not respond to temperature changes, as opposed to the coolest regions, where they are responsive. Public holidays, particularly Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year holidays, represent a constant influencing factor on short-term sales increases for all investigated alcoholic beverage categories. Originality/value This is the first large-scale study of weather and holiday-related sales variations over time, across geographies and different alcoholic beverage categories. Seasonal and non-seasonal short-term sales variations are important for retailers and manufacturers alike. Accounting for expected changes in demand accommodates efficiencies along the supply chain and has implications for retail management, as well as adjusting marketing efforts in competing categories.

Beverages ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 37
Author(s):  
Gary J. Pickering ◽  
Margaret K. Thibodeau

Consumers often identify “taste” as an important factor when selecting alcoholic beverages. Although it is assumed that reduced alcohol consumption in PROP super-tasters is due to a greater dislike of the nominally aversive sensations that they experience more intensely (e.g., bitterness) when compared to PROP non-tasters, this question has not been specifically asked to them. Therefore, we examined consumers’ self-reported aversion towards specific sensory attributes (bitter, hot/burn, dry, sour, sweet, carbonation) for four alcoholic beverage types (white wine, red wine, beer, spirits) using a convenience sample of U.S. wine consumers (n = 925). Participants rated 18 statements describing different combinations of sensory attributes and alcoholic beverages on a 5-point Likert scale (e.g., Beer tastes too bitter for me). Individuals who tended to agree more strongly with the statements (i.e., they were more averse; p(F) < 0.05) tended to (i) consume less of all beverage types, (ii) consume a higher proportion of white wine (p(r) < 0.05), and (iii) were more likely to be female or PROP super-tasters. The results suggest that self-reported aversion to specific sensory attributes is associated with not only lower overall intake of alcoholic beverages, but also a shift in the relative proportions of beverage type consumed; a key finding for studies investigating how taste perception impacts alcohol consumption.


2017 ◽  
Vol 83 (24) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jun Liu ◽  
Qun Wu ◽  
Peng Wang ◽  
Jianchun Lin ◽  
Ling Huang ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Microbial sulfur metabolism plays crucial roles in various food and alcoholic beverage fermentations. 3-(Methylthio)-1-propanol and dimethyl disulfide are important sulfur compounds in fermented foods and alcoholic beverages. Here, we studied the dynamics of these two compounds during spontaneous Chinese liquor fermentation. The two compounds reached the maximum concentration at day 10 and the maximum production rate at day 3. Metatranscriptomic analysis at days 3 and 10 revealed a total of 354 metabolically active microorganisms. Saccharomyces and Lactobacillus were identified as core microbiota critical for sulfur compound production based on both the transcript abundances of the principal genes and the distribution frequencies of 31 enzymes involved in sulfur metabolism. Saccharomyces transcribed genes encoding 23 enzymes related to the generation of 3-(methylthio)-1-propanol and dimethyl disulfide, and Lactobacillus was active in the methyl cycle, which recycles methionine, the precursor of the two sulfur compounds. Furthermore, the sulfur metabolism-related characteristics of two representative species were studied in coculture during a simulated fermentation. Saccharomyces cerevisiae JZ109 produced 158.4 μg/liter 3-(methylthio)-1-propanol and 58.5 μg/liter dimethyl disulfide in monoculture, whereas Lactobacillus buchneri JZ-JN-2017 could not produce these two compounds in monoculture. Their coculture significantly enhanced the generation of 3-(methylthio)-1-propanol (350.0 μg/liter) and dimethyl disulfide (123.8 μg/liter). In addition, coculture significantly enhanced the gene transcriptions (fold change, 1.5 to ∼55.0) that convert methionine to these two compounds in S. cerevisiae and in the methyl cycle of L. buchneri. This study reveals a novel synergistic effect between members of the core microbiota in the production of sulfur compounds via methionine recycling in spontaneous Chinese liquor fermentation. IMPORTANCE Sulfur compounds play a crucial role in the aroma quality of various fermented foods and alcoholic beverages. However, it is unclear how these compounds are produced by microbes during their spontaneous fermentations. Here, we identified the core microbiota (Saccharomyces and Lactobacillus) associated with sulfur metabolism by determining both transcript abundance and distribution frequency of each genus in spontaneous Chinese liquor fermentation. This study provides a system-level analysis of sulfur metabolism by the metatranscriptomic analysis and culture-dependent methods. It sheds new light on how the metabolic behavior of the microbiota contributes to the liquor aroma quality. Furthermore, this work reveals a novel synergistic effect between Saccharomyces and Lactobacillus in the production of sulfur compounds, in which Lactobacillus regenerates the precursor methionine for sulfur compound production by Saccharomyces. Our findings can contribute to the enhancement of aroma characteristics in Chinese liquor and open new avenues for improving various food and alcoholic beverage fermentation processes.


2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
John Maisch ◽  
Mihai Nica ◽  
Jeremy David Oller

Purpose This study aims to examine whether the introduction of wine or regular strength beer (B) sales in Tennessee grocery stores significantly increased the number of alcoholic beverages (AB) consumed or excise taxes collected in the state. Design/methodology/approach This study uses both a time series and a model-based approach to assess if a significant change in alcoholic beverage excise tax collections occurred after the natural experiment. The study evaluates monthly tax collections from B, mixed drinks and AB between January 1968 and September 2018 published by the Tennessee Department of Revenue. Findings The findings suggest that neither alcoholic beverage consumption nor excise taxes collected increased substantially in Tennessee as a result of the introduction of wine and regular strength B in grocery stores. It is likely, however, that some changes inside the industry were significant. Originality/value This study assists policymakers and analysts in determining whether allowing the sale of wine and regular strength B in grocery stores will have a substantial impact on the total amount of AB consumed or excise taxes collected by the jurisdiction.


Significance The agency noted the likelihood of a worsening debt position and that 'challenging political dynamics' limit prospects for fiscal reform. Meanwhile, state governments have raised taxes on consumption, further crimping short-term economic recovery. In a context of rising unemployment and declining spending, increasing taxation offers another constraint on local businesses, which rely on the sluggish domestic market. Impacts To avoid hitting the poor, tax hikes target non-essential consumer goods, such as alcoholic beverages, tobacco and electronics. However, they also affect electricity distribution and communication providers, including mobile networks and cable. Cities and towns may also raise local taxes on property and services, but only after the 2016 municipal elections.


2015 ◽  
Vol 81 (23) ◽  
pp. 8202-8214 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stijn Mertens ◽  
Jan Steensels ◽  
Veerle Saels ◽  
Gert De Rouck ◽  
Guido Aerts ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTLager beer is the most consumed alcoholic beverage in the world. Its production process is marked by a fermentation conducted at low (8 to 15°C) temperatures and by the use ofSaccharomyces pastorianus, an interspecific hybrid betweenSaccharomyces cerevisiaeand the cold-tolerantSaccharomyces eubayanus. Recent whole-genome-sequencing efforts revealed that the currently available lager yeasts belong to one of only two archetypes, “Saaz” and “Frohberg.” This limited genetic variation likely reflects that all lager yeasts descend from only two separate interspecific hybridization events, which may also explain the relatively limited aromatic diversity between the available lager beer yeasts compared to, for example, wine and ale beer yeasts. In this study, 31 novel interspecific yeast hybrids were developed, resulting from large-scale robot-assisted selection and breeding between carefully selected strains ofS. cerevisiae(six strains) andS. eubayanus(two strains). Interestingly, many of the resulting hybrids showed a broader temperature tolerance than their parental strains and referenceS. pastorianusyeasts. Moreover, they combined a high fermentation capacity with a desirable aroma profile in laboratory-scale lager beer fermentations, thereby successfully enriching the currently available lager yeast biodiversity. Pilot-scale trials further confirmed the industrial potential of these hybrids and identified one strain, hybrid H29, which combines a fast fermentation, high attenuation, and the production of a complex, desirable fruity aroma.


2017 ◽  
Vol 29 (11) ◽  
pp. 2962-2976 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jiang Wu ◽  
Panhao Ma ◽  
Karen L. Xie

Purpose Trust has been widely recognized as the crucial factor of consumer purchase intention when shopping on peer-to-peer short-term rental platforms where hosts and renters are strangers. However, the specific attributes of hosts that help build trust with potential renters and drive their purchase of short-term rentals remain unknown. This study aims to explore the effects of host attributes on renter purchases made on Xiaozhu.com, one of the top short-term rental platforms in China, while controlling for short-term rental characteristics. Design/methodology/approach A crawler program was developed by Python to collect the host attributes and their short-term rental characteristics of 935 hosts in Beijing from November 18, 2015 to February 14, 2016. The authors use Poisson regression models to estimate the effects of host attributes on renter reservations. They also conduct a series of robustness checks for the estimated results. Findings The authors found that host attributes such as the time of reservation confirmation, the acceptance rate of renter reservations, the number of listings owned, whether a personal profile page is disclosed and gender of the host significantly affect renter reservations, whereas the response rate of the host does not influence renters when purchasing short-term rentals online. Originality/value This study identifies which host attributes are perceived as trustworthy and affect renters’ purchase decisions, a topic of both theoretical and practical importance but currently less researched. The findings add to emerging literature by providing insights on trust-building in the peer-to-peer economy. Useful suggestions are also provided on strengthening the trust mechanism on short-term rental platforms to facilitate peer-to-peer transactions. Notably, the study is the first attempt to examine the perception of Chinese users toward short-term rentals despite its global prevalence. The analytical insights revealed from large scale but granular online observations data of host attributes and actual renter reservations greatly supplement findings of extant literature using survey and experiment approaches.


2022 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xi-jian Dai ◽  
Liang Tan ◽  
Lina Ren ◽  
Yuan Shao ◽  
Weiqun Tao ◽  
...  

Objectives: To evaluate the associations of status, amount, and frequency of alcohol consumption across different alcoholic beverages with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) risk and associated mortality.Methods: This study included 473,957 subjects, 16,559 of whom tested positive for COVID-19. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to evaluate the associations of alcohol consumption with COVID-19 risk and associated mortality. The non-linearity association between the amount of alcohol consumption and COVID-19 risk was evaluated by a generalized additive model.Results: Subjects who consumed alcohol double above the guidelines had a higher risk of COVID-19 (1.12 [1.00, 1.25]). Consumption of red wine above or double above the guidelines played protective effects against the COVID-19. Consumption of beer and cider increased the COVID-19 risk, regardless of the frequency and amount of alcohol intake. Low-frequency of consumption of fortified wine (1–2 glasses/week) within guidelines had a protective effect against the COVID-19. High frequency of consumption of spirits (≥5 glasses/week) within guidelines increased the COVID-19 risk, whereas the high frequency of consumption of white wine and champagne above the guidelines decreased the COVID-19 risk. The generalized additive model showed an increased risk of COVID-19 with a greater number of alcohol consumption. Alcohol drinker status, frequency, amount, and subtypes of alcoholic beverages were not associated with COVID-19 associated mortality.Conclusions: The COVID-19 risk appears to vary across different alcoholic beverage subtypes, frequency, and amount. Red wine, white wine, and champagne have chances to reduce the risk of COVID-19. Consumption of beer and cider and spirits and heavy drinking are not recommended during the epidemics. Public health guidance should focus on reducing the risk of COVID-19 by advocating healthy lifestyle habits and preferential policies among consumers of beer and cider and spirits.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Leeford Edem Kojo Ameyibor ◽  
Peter Anabila ◽  
Yvonne Kabeya Saini

Purpose This study aims to investigate the relationship between brand positioning and business performance, as well as the mediation effect of brand equity between them within the context of Ghana’s alcoholic beverages industry. Design/methodology/approach A sample of 196 staff across four alcoholic beverage firms in Accra, Ghana was selected using a judgemental sampling technique. A structural equation modelling approach using partial least squares was used to conduct the analyses to answer the research hypotheses. Findings All the hypotheses were confirmed in line with extant literature. Specifically, the study found a positive relationship between brand positioning and business performance. The study also found that brand equity partially mediates the relationship between brand positioning and business performance. Practical implications The study serves as a useful guide to strategy and policy formulation in branding in general and specifically on how brand positioning can be effectively deployed as a key strategy to enhance business performance. Originality/value The study has practical implications not only for the marketing and sale of alcoholic beverages in Ghana to achieve financial performance but also for lasting competitive advantage.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Gergely Szolnoki ◽  
Stylianos Filopoulos ◽  
Claudia Stein-Hammer ◽  
David Brazsil

Purpose The health effects of alcoholic beverages and the differentiation between moderate consumption and alcohol abuse are discussed controversially in medicine, sociology and politics. Therefore, this paper aims to analyse how consumers assess the relation among health, wine consumption and alcohol abuse. Design/methodology/approach A representative survey in Germany and in Hungary was conducted with 2,000 and 1,500 respondents, respectively. The survey included questions regarding the assessment and definition of alcohol abuse and moderate wine consumption. Findings The results show that in Hungary, moderate wine consumption is defined similarly as in Germany; on the contrary, in the case of alcohol abuse, there are significant differences. Regardless of cultural background, the respondents agreed that excessive wine consumption harms health and certain consumer groups (pregnant women or people under 16 years old) should avoid drinking wine. Practical implications These findings can contribute to a long-term goal-oriented wine in moderation strategy for consumers and support policy advice on moderate and excessive wine consumption. Originality/value The results help to understand how consumers perceive moderate and excessive wine consumption in everyday life, and how they judge wine as an alcoholic beverage. To the best of authors’ knowledge, there has not been similar study published on the perceptions of wine consumers in this regard, neither in Germany nor in Hungary.


Significance Risk firm Kroll was looking into undisclosed state loans worth 2 billion dollars, but it said that the Mozambican government did not collaborate fully with the firm's investigation and that the CEO of the three companies openly blocked attempts to locate futher information. Expectations that the IMF and the international donor community would start talks on new funding agreements with Maputo have subsequently stalled, while mounting domestic loans taken out by the government have further soured relations with international financial institutions. Impacts Lack of transparency over financing of the state budget will preclude large-scale donor budgetary assistance in the short term. The private sector will increase its calls for the government to renegotiate the scheduling of domestic debt repayments. The ongoing debt fallout could raise infrastructure financing costs and delay several liquefied natural gas (LNG) mega-investments.


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