Is legal weed flattening beer sales?
This bud’s a potential downer for beer.
A research note published this week from Cowen & Company financial analysts suggests that beer volume sales in the legal recreational cannabis states of Colorado, Oregon and Washington are under-performing the overall U.S. beer market by 2.6 percentage points year-to-date.
“In adult-use cannabis markets, there are clear signs that cannabis is weighing on beer category trends,” Cowen analyst Vivien Azer wrote in the report. She also noted: “Mainstream beers are the biggest drag, while craft is also slowing. Imports look the most immune.”
Azer, who was scheduled to present the report Thursday at the Brewbound Session beer industry conference in San Diego, was unavailable for comment. Brewbound first reported on Cowen’s study with an article earlier this week.
Cowen’s report, which utilizes scan and point-of-sales data from The Nielsen Company, notes that sales volume of “below-premium” beers (think Busch and Natty Light) is down 2.4 percent year-to-date in the three highlighted pot states; “premium domestic” beers (your Bud Lights and Coors Lights) are down 4.4 percent year-to-date. Craft beer sales in Colorado, Oregon and Washington are flat, but under-performing the total U.S. craft sales by 9.5 percentage points, according to the report.
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An informal NTer's poll: Which is least safe, alcohol or Marijuana?
It depends on how much alcohol you drink, or pot you use.
Also many people drink and smoke dope at the same time.
Dear Friend Larry Hampton: Great question.
I wish I knew the correct answer.
Enoch
The concern for the Beer industry is not much different in Canada. I posted this article on the Canada group a while ago:
Neither of them for me, Larry.
I'm not a very good test subject.
I do not drink, quit smoking cigarets some time ago, but a little bud every now and then is good. Especially here in WA where it is legal, the choices and strengths are amazing, and the prices are very reasonable. Especially compared to the heavily taxed booze industry.
However my use is very limited due to having to be squeaky clean when I am on the boats. Random boardings and surprise urine tests are ever present.
This is like complaining that wine sales are negatively impacting beer sales. Deal with it, beer.