A new survey shows how common it is to drink alcohol while skiing downhill.

Eye on beverage, a Sifo survey, commissioned by Carlsberg Sweden, shows that about half of all adults who ski downhill (51%) always abstain from alcohol on the slopes. A further 21% said they rarely drink alcohol while downhill skiing. However, almost one in five skiers said they sometimes (15%) or often (3%) hit the slopes after drinking alcohol.

“Of course, you should be able to treat yourself to a beer when you are on a ski holiday, but this campaign is about making conscious choices based on the situation and the amount. It is important not to put yourself or others at risk of accidents. If you want to be one hundred percent sharp in the slopes, non-alcoholic beer is the best choice," says Henric Byström, Communications Director at Carlsberg Sweden.

Why we drink alcohol while skiing downhill

Some of the results of the survey revolves around people’s conception of drinking alcohol while skiing.

The three most common reasons for drinking alcohol between runs are 1) it's good (37%), 2) it gives you a holiday feeling (33%) and 3) it's social (28%).

The main reasons for abstaining from alcohol during a day on the slopes are 1) to avoid accidents or injuries (59%), 2) because it is inappropriate (36%) and 3) to drive after skiing (31%).

When asked how much alcohol should be allowed to drink while downhill skiing, respondents (28%) said that one standard glass (equivalent to one strong beer or one glass of wine) should be allowed, 9% said that two to three standard glasses should be allowed and 15% said "as much as you want". 

Choose an alcohol-free brew

However, more than one in five skiers (22%) answered "No alcohol at all" and a further 12% thought that only non-alcoholic beer and other drinks with an alcohol content of 0.5% or less should be allowed.

In recent years, the non-alcoholic trend has grown stronger - which also includes thirsty skiers. In fact, according to the Eye on Beverage, one in four Swedes has, at least once, chosen to drink non-alcoholic beer while skiing downhill.

“Annual consumption of non-alcoholic beer has risen from 5 million litres to over 20 million litres in just under ten years. We also notice that more and more people are discovering that non-alcoholic beer is a really good alternative that is perfect for skiing," says Henric Byström, Communications Director at Carlsberg Sweden