37% of Delhi women drinking more alcohol since pandemic: Survey

New Delhi: Over 37 per cent of women in Delhi believe that their alcohol consumption has increased in the last three years, indicating the impact of the pandemic on alcohol habits, a survey has claimed.

Over 45 per cent women said that the reason for their increased drinking frequency was “stress,” the survey said.

The survey conducted by the Community against Drunken Driving (CADD), an NGO, cited the pandemic, the ensuing lockdown, increased availability of alcohol, and changed expenditure pattern, as factors that contributed to the increased drinking among women.

Out of the 5,000 women surveyed, 37.6 per cent of women agreed that their alcohol consumption has increased, the CADD said in a statement.

"42.3 per cent women considered their increase more sporadic and occasion-based. Respondents also agreed that many were also trying to make up for lost time, since early 2022 when things started opening up and thus alcohol was being had on more occasions and in more quantities," the statement read.

Increased availability of alcohol was cited as the reason for increased drinking among women in 34.4 per cent, and notably, boredom, in 30.1 per cent.

Road safety expert and activist Prince Singhal, also CADD founder, said a liberal view presented of alcohol drinking on TV and its putative ability to cure stress are two of the factors responsible for the phenomenon.

"Women’s alcohol market is expected to grow by 25 per cent over the next five years as per the Centre for alcohol studies, the government of India.

"Pinking of the alcohol market, combined with sustained messaging in movies and on TV that alcohol is the best way for women to relax and reward themselves, comfortable retail experience besides the already prevalent reasons are all adding up to the rise in alcohol consumption among women,” he said.