CMW explores whether the events industry is catering well enough for non-alcohol drinkers.
From networking drinks to gala dinners, alcohol is a staple of the events industry, but what is on offer for non drinkers? Some advocate for wider choices of drinks, while others take a more puritanical approach, but surely there is room for all tastes.
CMW asked Sophie Hughes, head of client services, and Poppy Surplice, event manager at CI Group to share some thoughts on the topic.
Hughes believes that, although businesses are getting better at asking people up front if they would like alcohol to be served, rather than just assuming, venue packages nearly always include alcoholic drinks.
“I’ve never seen them offer a non alcoholic alternative, or more so something exciting as a non-alcoholic option,” she says, adding that the soft drinks option invariably includes water or fizzy, sugary soft drinks and wonders whether it is because venues don’t have exciting non-alcoholic drinks.
Although it is true that alcohol can bring people together, does it have to be the only driver there?
Poppy Surplice: “When I first joined the events industry, I would always find myself grabbing a glass of wine or a speciality cocktail handcrafted by a vendor at the event. I would find myself doing this to feel a sense of inclusion, and a way to connect with industry experts.”
Clearly, some delegates want to connect, learn and engage without the booze, but is the industry ready for that?
“At an individual level, people are making more informed choices and choosing when and where to drink. Over time this must have an impact on perception and treatment of alcohol at events,” says Hughes.
Surplice believes there’s a stigma around non-drinkers at events and confesses to feeling peer pressure to drink. Nevertheless, she says she does not drink at events and feels much better for it. “People are becoming way more mindful of their health choices, from what they eat and drink to how often they exercise. Younger generations are choosing running clubs over nightclubs as part of their self-growth journey,” she adds, noting a huge shift with mocktails and alcohol-free beers becoming more popular.
Maybe the prominence of alcohol at events creates barriers to inclusion for people who have a strictly religious approach, or are in recovery?
Hughes believes the accent on alcohol can lead to a sense of exclusion. “At best it is alienating, at worst it is disrespectful and potentially unsafe, especially for those with past addictions or neurological conditions,” she says.
Hughes advocates promoting the start of an evening reception as ‘Drinks and Good Company’ rather than ‘Cocktail Hour’, and urges organisers to give equal visibility to non-alcoholic options.
Surplice notes that inclusive approaches to alcohol are already happening, not least in cultures that frown on the consumption of alcohol. She mentions attending a networking event in the Emirates organised by The DMC Network where the traditional drinks reception was replaced with a mix of local vendor stalls including henna tattoo, artists, a bird of prey, dancers, canapes and mocktails made with spices and flavours from the UAE. Most people, she says, were more drawn to the entertainment and traditional foods and drinks than the alcohol, which was made available later.
Hughes concludes there is a better approach: “to advocate ‘mindful drinking,’ by offering decent options, and shifting the focus on whatever is really central to that event’s success.”