Jean Cronin, Executive Director, CT Package Stores Association
By Jean Cronin, Executive Director, Connecticut Package Stores Association
It is officially full-blown summer here in Connecticut. The out-of-state drivers have overrun the highways, and the state beach parking lots are usually at capacity by 9 a.m.
Summer is one of the busier times of year here in Connecticut. Not just with the liquor industry, but with businesses in general.
The influx of people visiting Connecticut in the warmer months is something many businesses look forward to and many residents curse as the traffic increases.
While I see this pattern in my area of southern Connecticut, does the summer influx help the industry as a whole? Is there also a correlation between warmer weather and human psychology to increase the consumption of alcohol? Studies seem to indicate a mixed result.
When the weather warms up, there is an increase in the amount of socialization that humans tend to do. The increased gatherings created by backyard BBQs, Fourth of July celebrations, festivals, pool parties, beach days and vacations all seem to be factors that increase folks’ consumption, according to studies that have been done.
Outdoor recreation and water activities were also answers that were given by participants in a University of Colorado study on drinking habits in that state. The study was conducted via phone calls with a series of questions to the Colorado respondents. This state is notoriously home to one of the most physically active populations in the nation. Naturally, the survey answers for outdoor recreation are conducive to the lifestyle in Colorado.
Looking at Connecticut, the residents and tourists are visiting the beaches and parks, so the outdoor recreation component is similar in some ways. With the warmer weather, people seem to enjoy the sun and warmth by socializing with others and the association of cold beverages with hot weather.
However, there are other studies that show variations in the times of year when people drink the most alcohol. Drinking in the northern hemisphere versus the southern hemisphere was quite different and the climate, researchers found, was the reason.
The University of Pittsburgh did a study that investigated the drinking habits of people who lived in two different parts of the world.
They found that the folks who lived in the northern hemisphere were more likely to drink more frequently during the winter months than those in the southern hemisphere. The reason, the study concluded, was the cold temperatures and the lack of sunlight.
There was also the claim that the consumption of alcohol created the feeling of being warm — and there are a multitude of holidays in the colder Christmas, and New Year’s Eve, which are important occasions to celebrate that include alcohol. The University of Pittsburgh study concluded that wintertime was the time of year when individuals consumed more alcohol in the Northern Hemisphere.
Regardless of what the studies say, the natural inclination to grab a cold beer, mixed drink, wine or cooler when the weather turns warm here in Connecticut is enough for me to think that summertime and warmer weather are the key times for lifting our spirits and alcohol sales.
Whether it is the increase of visitors to our state, increase in outdoor activities, or just simply looking to socialize with one another, summertime in New England just can’t be beat without a drink in hand.
Jean Cronin is the President of Hughes & Cronin Public Affairs Strategies, where she is responsible for developing and implementing legislative initiatives for the firm’s clients, and directing a variety of trade and professional associations managed by the firm. Cronin joined the firm in 1986 after serving as a communications strategist for the Connecticut Senate Majority Office, where she became well-versed in the politics and insight of the State Capitol. She is the Executive Director of the Connecticut Package Stores Association, following the passing of longtime director, Carroll J. Hughes.
