Southerners Drink More on Holiday

Posted by Sue Anderson, 8th Jan 2013

Our latest research has revealed that, perhaps surprisingly, southerners from the UK drink almost twice as much alcohol when away on holiday than their northern counterparts; with those from Bristol drinking the most.

It would appear that those living in the south of the UK spend more of their holidays abroad drunk than their northern counterparts, despite stereotypical beliefs that those from the north drink the most in general. Our latest research has unveiled more about drinking habits of people around the UK whilst abroad.

We carried out the poll as part of ongoing research into the holiday habits and preferences of people around the UK. 2,104 UK adults took part in the study, each aged 21 or over and all of whom had been on a week-long holiday abroad in the past 12 months. Respondents answered questions surrounding their drinking habits on holiday.

Respondents were asked to specify where they live and how many units they consumed on their last holiday



Respondents were first shown a map of the UK divided into 'north' and 'south' and were asked to specify which area they lived in and, specifically, which town or city. All those taking part were then asked how many units of alcohol, on average, they consumed in their last holiday abroad over the course of the week.

Southerners drank an average of 63.3 units over the duration of a week, compared to northerners 36.8



To aid their answers, respondents were shown an alcohol unit guide, so they knew roughly what certain drinks amounted to in terms of units. According to the poll, those who placed themselves as living in the 'north' of the UK drank an average of 36.8 units of alcohol over the duration of a week on holiday; with women averaging 31.2 units, drinking mostly wine, and men averaging 42.5 units, drinking mostly lager.

When looking at those who lived in the 'south' of the UK, holidaymakers drank an average of 63.3 units of alcohol; almost double that of their northern counterparts. Southern women drank an average of 59.4 units over the course of the week-long holiday, drinking mostly spirit mixers; whilst men drank an average of 67.3 units in the week, drinking mostly wine.

There are a lot of stereotypes surrounding drinking in the UK, and northerners appear to have developed a reputation for enjoying their booze! However, when on holiday at least, it seems that those from the south are giving them a run for their money.

Having a few drinks on holiday is perfectly acceptable, but it's important to remember not to go overboard. You don't want to have to spend the majority of your holiday in bed, recovering, and you certainly don't want to do anything that you might regret!
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