Marketing mag may have just gone drunk with power, but we feel like there have been a higher than normal number of releases about alcohol coming through to our newshound kennels this week. Earlier this week, we learned Aussies aren’t drinking as much anymore, and then, fittingly, VB announced it wants to bring back its glory days with some retro packaging. Now, Roy Morgan Research may just have some pointers for how the industry can turn it around, and get us craving that liver burning liquid again: make it cheaper.

Most people who travel outside of Australia, or come here from another land, think that drink in this country is just too gosh darned expensive. We’ve got a lot of taxes on the product, sure, because we’ve proven we can’t be trusted around it.

Alcohol is expensive in this country, it’ true, and that’s turned drinkers in to bargain hunters, constantly on the lookout for sales and cheaper priced product.

A new study by Roy Morgan Research shows consumers love a cheap price (more so than other retail industries), with 74% of young alcohol buyers (aged 18-34) saying ‘good value’ was most important, followed by a purchase point that is ‘close to home’ (64%). 49% of consumers demanded a ‘good range', while 40% wanted a store that was guaranteed to have all the brand they want in stock.

“Good value stands out as the most important factor to young consumers when buying alcohol, with nearly three-in-four respondents nominating it a most important factor,” explains Norman Morris, industry communications director for Roy Morgan. “Price and value continue to be influential in purchasing decisions, especially in this younger age group.

Morris says there was also an intriguing trend in the battle of the sexes.

“There does seem to be a noticeable trend where higher proportions of young female alcohol buyers — compared with male buyers –  are placing importance on the service of staff during their purchase of alcohol," Morris explains. "These findings are interesting as 82% of young female buyers and 80% of young male buyers know what they wish to purchase before even entering a liquor store."