This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.
News
Brits spend £50,000 on booze in lifetime
The average Brit spends £49,581 (US$30,000) on booze in their lifetime, with a further one million of the population spending £167,000 (US$271,000).
Based on a Brit drinking from the age of 18 for 63 years, a person’s average yearly spend on alcohol is £787 per year with Londoners found to spend more at £886, according to a survey of 2,000 people carried out by Onepoll on behalf of Macmillan Cancer Support.
Men were found to most freely splash the cash spending an average of £934.44 per year compared to women who spend £678.60.
While 1.3 million Brits are thought to spend triple the average with the country’s big spenders racking up a booze bill of £167,000 during their life.
Age was also found to play a significant part in preference with spirits shown to be the most popular beverage among those aged 18 to 24, while those aged over 55 preferred to spend their hard earned cash on wine.
Overall, 34% of those surveyed said wine was their preferred beverage.
The research was conducted to mark the launch of Macmillan’s Go Sober for October fundraising event.
What would be the component of tax (duty and vat) in this spending?
Maths a bit out here – it assumes Brits drunk steadily from birth ( 63 x £787 = 49,581)
Life expectancy is also out – now touching 80 you may be relieved to hear
JB – The report calculates using 63 years FROM the age of 18, giving your average life expectancy of 81 yrs.
George – At current rates VAT on £787 spend £131.17. The Institute of Alcohol Studies says that in 2012/13 the average UK consumer paid £198 in alcohol duty a year. So an annual combined average payment to the treasury of £329. Over 63 years, at those rates, would equate to £20,727 total paid. Clearly this wouldn’t be an accurate figure, but a reasonable guesstimate. Just for completeness £20,727 as a percentage of total 63 year spend £49,581 = almost 42% of your cash going straight to HMRC.