Analyst predicts UK women will top European drinkers' league

Young women will consume a third more booze over the next four years, according to business analyst Datamonitor.

The company's recent publication, New Trends in Young Adults' Alcoholic Drinks Occasions, said that attracting the female pound is becoming increasingly important to drinks companies in the UK.

It reported that women were due to increases their alcohol consumption per head to 291 litres a year by 2009.

Although the growth trend is mirrored across Europe, Datamonitor predicted that UK women would top the Continent's drinkers' league.

Young women were also more likely to order different drinks to each other, suggesting operators keen to attract female consumers need a broad range of drinks.

Datamonitor consumer analyst Danielle Rebelo said: "The continued rise in female drinking has seen the introduction of feminine beverages such as Vodka Mudslide and the feminisation of traditional male drinks."

The research also backed up previous findings that young adults were typically going out more and more during the week in a bid to maximise their leisure time.