Alcohol and climate change: a social marketing perspective

Purpose This study aims to understand opportunities for reducing alcohol consumption through leveraging concern for climate change using social marketing frameworks. Design/methodology/approach The study surveyed 233 randomly selected students at an international university, applying cluster analysis and subsequent focus groups. Marketing mix (4Ps) interventions, designed through protective behavioral strategies, were developed and examined with each cluster. Findings Results show that 83% of participants never or rarely consider the connection between alcohol consumption and climate impacts. Four clusters emerged, reflecting diverse orientations toward climate concern and sobriety curiosity. Awareness campaigns based on lifestyles were reported as potentially effective across three of the four clusters, while carbon taxes were identified as the most effective intervention overall. Novel terminology arising from the research, including “abstainability” and “eco-numbing,” is also presented and described. Practical implications The findings of this study suggest potential opportunities for the participating university to explore approaches to reducing drinking behavior by leveraging climate change concern. Additionally, the reported product, price, place and promotion interventions and new terminology may assist practitioners and scholars of alcohol reduction efforts. Originality/value While the lifecycle of alcohol contributes substantially to greenhouse gas emissions, there is low public awareness of this connection. Consequently, the intersection of alcohol consumption and climate change represents an underexplored domain and has not previously been examined through a social marketing lens.