Gen Zers are increasingly going sober or sober-curious as changing norms take the social pressure off the perceived need for consuming alcohol to have fun.
Young people (Gen Z: 18 to 34 years old) going sober is already having a major ripple effect across the food and beverage industry, the sports economy, and nightlife scenes, reports Business Insider.
Prioritising physical and mental health, Gen Z and alcohol consumption looks vastly different from that of older generations.
A Gallup poll found that the share of 18-to-34-year-olds who drink hit a record low of 59 percent - meaning that 4 in 10 Gen Zers say they don't drink booze. The share of the same group who considers even “moderate” drinking bad for them has risen to 65 percent - double the number of people who did at the start of the millennium.
Instead, young people are turning to non-alcoholic drinks, including mocktails and booze-free beers - of which there are now numerous options for both spirits and beers.
IWSR, a top insights firm for the beverage industry, found that the non-alcoholic drink volume grew 29 percent in 2023 and is now a market worth $13 billion. 17 percent of (non) drinkers are new to the market.
The reasons given for abandoning alcohol are varied, but there’s definitely a new and growing focus on health and well-being, and a resulting trend toward alcohol-free socializing, says TheFutureParty. Now, alcohol doesn’t seem as cool as it did to previous generations. Indeed, the opposite is the case for many: going booze-free is the new cool. It looks increasingly likely that spaces that provide fun and connection that don’t require a little liquid courage will be one of the biggest trends over the next decade.
You may also be interested in: Gen Beta - A New Generation is Here