Consumer Behavior in Alcoholic Beverage Choices and Food Pairings at Home: Contextual Factors Driving Preferences for High-ABV Over Low-ABV Beverages

ABSTRACT This study investigates consumer behavior in home drinking contexts, with an emphasis on situational factors, food pairings, and preferences for alcoholic beverages. Using food diary data from 12,132 quota-sampled consumers in South Korea (March 2019–February 2022), 18710 records of alcoholic beverage-food paired meals consumed at home were analyzed. Binomial logistic regression models were used to investigate factors influencing preferences for beverages with higher alcohol content (above 16% ABV). The findings indicate that home drinkers were more likely to select high-ABV in the following contexts: (a) when paired with dishes featuring pork, seafood, or vegetables as the main ingredient, compared to beef-based dishes; (b) when paired with liquid dishes (encompass soup‐based or stew‐type soup) rather than non-liquid dishes; (c) during meals with larger group sizes (number of eaters present); and (d) on social meal occasions compared with regular daily meals. Pratical Applications This research offers actionable insights for food and beverage marketers, product developers, and retailers. By identifying key factors influencing home drinking behaviors —such as meal type, group size, and social contexts — companies can design tailored meal kits, beverage pairing recommendations, and targeted campaigns. By integrating sensory analysis with consumer behavior insights, this study offers strategic guidance for enhancing product positioning, optimizing in-home dining experiences, and responding to emerging consumption trends in the alcohol and food industries.

• Publication year

  2025

• Venue

  Journal of Food Products Marketing

• Publication date

  2025-04-10

• Fields of study

  Not labeled

• Identifiers
  DOI 10.1080/10454446.2025.2490904
• External record

  Open on Semantic Scholar

• Source metadata

  Semantic Scholar

• No claims are published for this paper.

• No concepts are published for this paper.

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