South Africans have a very big drinking culture, especially during the festive season. Trade Intelligence found that alcohol spending averages about R414 million per day, with the weekly average nearly tripling between Christmas and New Year.
A report by Eighty20 Consulting found that this week-long spending spike represents a critical commercial window in which understanding consumer behaviour, preferences, and purchasing patterns can separate market leaders from laggards.
According to the World Health Organization, the world average consumption of alcohol is about 5.5 litres per person per year, with South Africa above the global mean at 7.8 litres, but below some European countries like Romania 17.1 litres or Czechia 13.7 litres.
