Budweiser Brewing Group UK&I – AB InBev’s UK arm which boasts drinks such as Corona Cero, Stella Artois Alcohol-free, and Budweiser Zero – surveyed 2,000 UK adults about their holiday drinking habits.
It found a shift in holiday drinking habits, with consumers bringing the idea of Dry January forward into the holiday period with nearly half of Gen Z embracing a ‘Dry Christmas’ movement.
Despite this shift, consumers say they still feel the expectation to drink: in fact, 34% of Generation Z feel more pressure to drink alcohol during the festive period compared to previous years.
However, 78% of younger people (those born after 1996) plan to start Dry January early: as soon as they finish work for the festive season.
That’s in contrast to 17% of Baby Boomers who have ever considered not having a drink over Christmas in the past, with just 6% planning to do so this year.
But 65% of drinkers who have pledged to cut back on alcohol say they believe they can enjoy the festivities just as much as without alcohol.
Additionally, a quarter of respondents expressed a preference for moderating their drinking with no-and-low alcohol options at work Christmas parties, a figure that rises to 35% among the youngest workers.
This trend of drinking less among younger drinkers is largely driven by a desire for balanced lifestyles, financial mindfulness, and the empowerment of making personal choices, says Brian Perkins, President of Budweiser Brewing Group UK&I.
“While pressure to drink alcohol may still exist, it is promising to see people resisting this, and celebrating moderation. What’s even more positive is that moderation isn’t impacting people’s enjoyment; in fact, these results reaffirm that we can and do still enjoy ourselves just as much.”
The study also highlighted that 40% of respondents believe the ‘Dry Christmas’ trend will gain popularity in the coming years.
However, this is driven by 60% of Gen Z (born 1997 to 2013) compared to only 43% of Gen X (generally people born between 1965 and 1980).
Nearly a third (30%) have noticed more people in their social circles opting to moderate or remove alcohol from their Christmas plans. Furthermore, 56% believe that festive parties now offer more low-and-no-alcohol drinks than five years ago.
Notably, 55% feel that the quality of these options has improved.
“With so many greats tasting adult non-alcohol options available today, it’s easier than ever to have a dry(ish) Holiday season,” said Marcos Salazar, president of the ANBA (Adult Non-Alcoholic Beverage Association). “Having a great tasting non-alcoholic beer available is always a good staple to have, but there’s also been huge improvements in the quality of non-alcoholic wine, spirits, and ready-to-drink cocktails that now there’s something for everyone to enjoy during the holidays.”
Dan Harwood, wine expert and Managing Director for Eisberg’s SW Wines Europe, highlights the growing interest in alcohol-free wines, which are perfectly suited to the festive celebratory occasion.
“Budweiser’s poll confirms the huge trend of younger generations embracing alcohol moderation at the moment. I like to call it ‘the moderation generation’,” he said.
“Gen Z is definitely leading the charge in inspiring alcohol-free celebrations, creating more choice for people who want to embrace a more balanced lifestyle. We are seeing this directly reflected in the boom of the alcohol-free category, which is incredibly exciting.”
Eisberg also did its own study into alcohol consumption, finding that 36% of Gen X are exploring ‘sober curious’ lifestyles and 51% of Brits expect to see alcohol-free at work parties. And 48% expect to see alcohol-free options at Christmas.
“At Eisberg, we are on a mission to help remove some of the barriers to alcohol moderation by delivering something that reflects what people are really looking for,” added Harwood. “Wine is fun, so alcohol-free wine should be fun as well.
“There are so many great alcohol free options for Christmas these days,” he said pointing to Eisberg’s alcohol-free mulled wine and pinor noir for cosy nights in.