Lockdown to lifeline: the lasting impact of alcohol home delivery

Since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, alcohol delivery to the doorstep has become a familiar convenience for many. But what has this meant for how people think about, search for and ultimately consume alcohol?

A series of newly published studies led by researchers at the University of North Carolina explores this question through multiple lenses: online search behaviour, consumption patterns and delivery policy environments across the United States from 2019 to 2023.

Their findings — drawn from Google Trends data and a cross-sectional survey of 5,360 adults in 18 states — suggest a complex relationship between policy change and public behaviour.

The research team found a “significant increase” in online searches for alcohol delivery immediately after DTC policies were expanded in California in March 2020, a state already familiar with such services. However, that spike was temporary. Searches declined steadily in the months that followed — a pattern mirrored in Georgia, which introduced its first DTC policy in August 2020, albeit later in the pandemic cycle​

Conversely, search volumes for alcohol-related harm — notably alcohol poisoning and alcoholism — presented a mixed picture. In Georgia, searches for both terms increased significantly following policy implementation, while in California, searches for alcohol poisoning dropped sharply at the same time.

One in four adults tried DTC delivery — and drank more

Offline, real-world data supported some of the digital signals. According to the survey study by Courtney et al., roughly 25% of respondents used alcohol delivery at least once during the pandemic. Of those, more than 40% used apps focused on food or alcohol delivery services such as Drizly or Grubhub​

Importantly, usage correlated with increased alcohol intake. Adults who used DTC delivery reported consuming 4.43 more drinks per week and had a 33% higher incidence of binge drinking days per month. These individuals also experienced a greater number of negative consequences related to drinking — even after adjusting for overall alcohol intake​.

This association was especially prominent in states that had expanded their DTC policies. Residents there were more than twice as likely to use alcohol delivery than those in states that maintained restrictions.

Policy ripple effects

One of the more revealing findings concerns the lag in public uptake where DTC policies were newly introduced. In Georgia, where delivery was first permitted in August 2020, there was no immediate jump in alcohol delivery searches. By contrast, states like California and Pennsylvania, with longstanding or expanded permissions, saw marked spikes during the early months of the pandemic.

As the authors note, “general awareness of new DTC alcohol home delivery policies may require time to diffuse” — a point worth noting for industry stakeholders weighing investment in new markets.

Implications for the drinks trade

While the studies rightly focus on public health outcomes, the findings also carry commercial implications. DTC delivery, once a niche channel, has emerged as a mainstream method of alcohol access — with policy and consumer demand reinforcing one another.

As of the study’s conclusion in late 2023, alcohol delivery use had declined slightly from pandemic peaks but remained significantly above pre-pandemic levels​

Direct-to-consumer alcohol delivery may have begun as a temporary pandemic workaround. But the data suggest it is now a fixture in the modern drinks landscape — albeit one that requires careful calibration to balance convenience, commercial opportunity and social responsibility.

Related news

Full Glass Wine raises US$14m to build DTC offering

British Columbia winemakers left reeling after DTC sales attack

Domaine Arnoux-Lachaux signs exclusive DTC distribution deal with Crurated