Gen Z Alcohol Consumption Drops 25% in Favour of 'Mindful Drinking'
Dry January's popularity is on the up with many younger generations – mainly Gen Z – deciding to spend their weekends alcohol free. While millennials may reminisce back to their Friday nights in their early 20s shuffling foot to foot holding lurid coloured alcopop bottles, Gen Z are choosing to abstain entirely. In fact, recent research conducted by Heineken 0.0, has highlighted that Gen Z alcohol consumption dropped by 25% over the last four years.
There is an overwhelming amount of research supporting the negative health effects of alcohol. A review published by The Lancet stated that 4% of the total global burden of disease is attributable to alcohol, accounting for about as many deaths and illnesses globally as tobacco and high blood pressure.
It's not just negative physical health outcomes, either. The psychological effects of alcohol consumption can be unpleasant, too. According to chartered psychologist Joe O'Brien, 'In alcohol withdrawal or hangovers, the brain's chemistry changes. Alcohol impacts serotonin, the GABA system and dopamine, amongst other things. This means in withdrawal, after stimulating those feel good chemicals, it can create anxiety and mood issues, AKA "the fear."'
It is perhaps for this reason that many now favour alcohol-free beer. When surveyed, 79% of people who drink non-alcoholic alternatives in social settings do so in order to ‘be part of the fun without drinking alcohol'. What's more, 77% believe that non-alcoholic drinks won't stop them having a good time.
The survey also found that a massive 48% of Gen Z alcohol drinkers would consider replacing an alcoholic drink with a non-alcoholic beer. However, for those over 45, that figure drops to just 21%.
This generational shift is evident in no-and-low alcoholic beer sales. According to Tesco UK, those buying booze-free drinks jumped up by 25% between the start of the 2023 and June. UK pubs also indicated that no-to-low beer sales increased by 23% between June 22 and July 23.
'Mindful drinking' and 'sober curios' (when someone drinks less or abstains entirely) are two other movements that you may have seen on your social media feeds.
Whatever you want to call it, Generation Z are being more mindful of their alcohol intake, choosing to enjoy alcohol consumption when they see fit. It's certainly not a bad thing. Perhaps alcohol is out and sobriety is in for 2024.
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