"SHOCHU X" conducted a "survey regarding drinking and purchasing authentic shochu" in November 2020.

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This survey, conducted in November 2020, targeted shochu drinkers aged 20 and over across the country. Thanks to the cooperation of many people, we were able to obtain 210 valid responses. We would like to thank everyone for their cooperation.

[Purpose of this survey]
With the purpose of understanding the drinking trends of authentic shochu and finding hints for the development of shochu, SHOCHU X conducted a fact-finding survey using the Internet to clarify consumer trends.

[Survey overview]
Survey period: November 2020 Survey method: Internet survey Survey region: Nationwide Survey target audience: Shochu drinkers aged 20 and over, male and female

◆Main survey results

• Breakdown of respondents: Most of the respondents were young, but the male-to-female ratio was 1/5 female, indicating that shochu still has the image of a male alcoholic beverage.
• Answers by region: Kyushu had the highest number of respondents, and the number decreased towards the north.
• Frequency of drinking shochu: It tended to increase with age.
• Where to drink shochu: As people get older, they are more likely to drink shochu at home.
• Who do you drink shochu with: The interesting results were that about 1/2 of the respondents drank shochu alone.
• Where to buy shochu: Liquor stores were the most reliable place to buy shochu.
• Budget for shochu for home use: 1000-1999 yen accounted for approximately 60% of respondents, and there was little difference by age.
• Budget for shochu as a gift: More than half of respondents said 3,000 yen or more, indicating that people in their 30s have a higher budget than other age groups.

1. Breakdown of respondents : Most of the respondents were young, but the male-to-female ratio was 1/5 female, indicating that shochu is still associated with men's alcoholic beverages.

First, looking at age groups, people in their 30s accounted for the most at about 42%, followed by people in their 20s and 40s. The low response rate among people in their 50s and above may be related to the fact that the survey was conducted online. The male-to-female ratio is about 1/5 female, so shochu may still have the image of being a men's drink.

2.Responses by region : Kyushu had the highest number, and the number decreased towards the north.

The Kanto region, including the Tokyo metropolitan area, had the highest results, accounting for approximately 3/4 of the total. Next is Kyushu and Okinawa, which are also major producers of shochu, and we found that there are many shochu drinkers there. This was followed by the Chubu and Kansai regions, and then the number tended to decrease towards the north. We also saw people from Singapore and America.

3. Frequency of drinking shochu : It tended to increase with age.

Next, we will look at the frequency of drinking by gender and age group. Most men and women drink shochu once a month, and looking at the age group, the frequency of drinking tends to increase as age increases. The image that ``shochu is your father's drink'' may not be entirely wrong.

4. Where to drink shochu : As people get older, they tend to drink shochu at home.

This ratio was the same for both men and women, but if you look at it by age, you can see that as you get older, the demand for drinking at home increases rather than drinking outside. Considering the drinking frequency mentioned earlier, people who drink a lot of shochu may be more likely to drink it at home.
Also, it seems that the overall cost of drinking at home is increasing due to the coronavirus.

5. Who do you drink shochu with ? The interesting result was that about 1/2 of the respondents drank shochu alone.

The results were a little surprising: after "drinking with friends," about half of the respondents said they drank alone.
This may be because shochu is a distilled alcoholic beverage, unlike wine and sake, which are usually drunk together, so there is no need to open a bottle in one night, making it suitable for drinking alone.
"With a lover" was the lowest, and this may also be related to the traditional image of shochu.

6. Where to buy shochu : Liquor stores were the most reliable place.

In this survey, liquor stores were number one. This survey was conducted for people who only drink shochu once a month or once a week, but it was surprising that the number one choice was a liquor store that alcohol lovers often go to. Also, more than 90% of those who answered that they buy alcohol at least four times a week said they buy it at a liquor store. Second place was supermarket, and third place was EC. 1/4 of them answered EC, which may be due to the increased demand for EC due to the coronavirus.

7. Budget for shochu for home use : 1000-1999 yen accounted for approximately 60% of respondents, and there was little difference by age.

Approximately 60% of people answered 1000-1999 yen. This is 720ml (4 bottles), so there are many shochu for that price on the market, and the median price is thought to be around that price. The results are reflected exactly as they are. Also, when looking at the results by age, there appears to be little correlation between age and budget.

8. Budget for shochu as a gift : More than half of the respondents spent 3,000 yen or more, indicating that people in their 30s have a higher budget than other age groups.

Approximately 20% of the budgets for gifts were over 5,000 yen, 36% were between 3,000 yen and 4,999 yen, and more than half of the budgets were over 3,000 yen, which is a far cry from the budget for gifts at home. Looking more closely, we found that while there was not much correlation by age for gifts for the home, people in their 30s spent a higher average amount than other age groups for gifts. There was also no significant correlation by region.

◆Summary

• The male-to-female ratio was 1/5 female, so shochu was still seen as a man's drink.
• Outside of the Tokyo metropolitan area, most people drink shochu in Kyushu, and the number decreases as you move further north.
• As they got older, they drank more frequently and tended to drink at home.
• The interesting result was that about 1/2 of the respondents drank shochu alone.
• Liquor stores, which are often visited by alcohol lovers, were the most stable.
• Approximately 60% of respondents' budget for home use was between 1,000 and 1,999 yen, and there was little difference by age.
• More than half of the budgets for gifts were 3,000 yen or more. Furthermore, when looking at the budget by age, it was found that people in their 30s have higher budgets than other age groups.

◆Questions

• Please tell me your age
• Please tell me your gender
• Please tell me where you live
• How often do you usually drink shochu?
• Where do you often drink shochu?
• Who do you often drink shochu with? (Multiple selections possible)
• Where do you usually buy shochu? (Multiple answers possible)
• Please tell me the budget for shochu (720ml) for home use.
• Please tell me the budget for shochu (720ml) as a gift.

◆About data citation

• There is no problem in citing the results of this survey on web pages, etc.
• When quoting or reprinting survey data, please be sure to clearly indicate "Source: SHOCHU X."
• If you are quoting or reprinting from a web page, please link to the PDF or URL of this article. Please note that no reprint notification is required.
• If you would like to quote on a site other than a web page, please contact us directly. If you would like more detailed survey results, please contact us and specify the purpose of use.
• If you have any questions, please contact us.

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《Download the survey results here↓》
https://prtimes.jp/a/?f=d59470-20201217-6135.pdf
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