Alcohol moderating behaviours amongst young adults have nearly doubled since 2018, with no less than half of respondents to the latest Drinkaware survey embracing no-and-low alcohol drinks.
The newly published Drinkaware report examines trend data from its annual Monitor, which claims to be the only nationally representative survey of the UK’s drinking habits.
It focusses on who is using no-and-low drinks to moderate their alcohol consumption, how this market has changed over recent years – and what these changes say about the UK’s drinking culture.
The headline finding was that 49% of young adults now choose no-and-low alcohol drinks when they want to moderate, in comparison to the 28% recorded back in 2018.
Use of alcohol-free drinks by what Drinkaware categorises as ‘risky drinkers’ – those who drink above the Chief Medical Officers’ low-risk guidelines of 14 units per week – has more than tripled over the same period, from 7% to 23%, while 44% of all adults in general said that they choose no-and-low options to moderate their drinking, up from 31% in 2018.
These latest findings come as the government is set to launch a public consultation on whether to increase the threshold for a product to be branded as alcohol free from 0.05% to 0.5%.
Drinkaware CEO Karen Tyrell said: “It is great to see young adults leading the charge in the growth of no-and-low drinks. But it is the rise in their use by risky drinkers which shows their potential for helping to reduce alcohol harm.
“The Government’s Ten-Year Health Plan for England rightly highlights their growth as an important tool in tackling alcohol harm.
“Swapping a regular beer, wine or cocktail for one of the many no-and-low alcohol alternatives is an easy way to cut down on your drinking.”
The Drinkaware report came out in tandem with Club Soda’s London No, Low and Mid Summit taking place today and tomorrow (21 & 22 October).
Laura Willoughby, CEO and founder of Club Soda Drinks, said: “Half of young adults moderating their drinking isn’t a fad, it’s a cultural reset.
“The old idea that you need alcohol to have a good time is collapsing, and people are rejecting the limits that come with it.
“Club Soda’s mission has always been about changing systems so that wherever you go, from a pub to a five-star bar, you’ll find great alcohol-free options that make moderation easy and normal,” Said Willoughby.
“The smartest retailers and venues are already adapting, because offering great alcohol-free drinks is no longer a nice-to-have, it’s a business essential.”
