A recent survey conducted by The Portman Group in partnership with YouGov has found that almost half of all young people in the UK prefer low alcohol or non-alcoholic drinks. The survey identified the age group 18 to 24 as the “most sober age group” with 39% of respondents avoiding alcoholic beverages completely. 44% of those in the same age group identified as occasional or regular drinkers of alcohol substitutes, a rise of 13% from 2022.
The survey showed that low and non-alcoholic options are becoming an “important and normalised part” of the UK’s efforts to moderate alcohol consumption, with 75% of UK drinkers having tried such options at least once. Around 23% of respondents reported that they reduced their alcohol intake generally when they chose low or no-alcohol substitutes, a 2% increase on last year.
The availability of alcohol alternatives has never been higher, and the Portman Group hopes that a recent UK government consultation on low-alcohol descriptors will result in growing the low and no-alcohol market. Matt Lambert, Portman Group Chief Executive, said: “It is welcome to see a further rise in the popularity of low and no-alcohol alternatives as well as further evidence of how they are an important tool to help UK drinkers, particularly younger adults, to drink responsibly”.
Many people in the UK participate in Dry January, a popular trend initiated by Alcohol Change U.K. in which people commit to not drinking alcohol for a month. According to findings shared by Alcohol Change U.K., Dry January has resulted in people saving on average 86% of the money they would usually spend on alcohol, 70% have benefited from improved sleep and 66% reported feeling higher levels of energy.
The Portman Group’s sixth annual survey, in partnership with YouGov, provides an extended view of the latest findings. For more information, people can visit the Portman Group’s website
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