Younger adults are drinking less, or even not at all, as recent reports suggest. But another new study showcases a surprising trend: people who want to moderate their drinking aren’t really looking to low- or no-alcohol alternatives. Per drinks market analysts IWSR, 37% of legal drinking-age adults in the United States say they have not consumed alcohol in the past six months. Among consumers who do drink, more than 50% say they are moderating their alcohol consumption, but only 26% say they are drinking no-alcohol alternatives to their favorite full-strength drinks — unchanged from the figure recorded in September 2022.
Study: Middle-Aged Adults Have a Binge Drinking Problem
Binge drinking among adults aged 35 to 50 is at a record high“Moderation strategies remain the same, with over half of people in the U.S. cutting down on their alcohol consumption,” says Susie Goldspink, head of no- and low-alcohol insights, IWSR. “But, as was the case last year, this is not directly translating into purchases of no- and low-alcohol drinks.” The main reasons cited for this include not liking the taste of the alternative products, plus the lack of availability and the cost (n/a drinks can be costly, and sometimes with good reason).
Still, the same analysts forecast that even with a predicted decline in the total U.S. beverage alcohol market at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of -1.5% between 2022 and 2027, no-alcohol volumes are expected to grow at a CAGR of more than +15% over the same time frame.
As for what drinkers are switching to, 35% of no/low consumers say they choose to moderate by not drinking on certain occasions, with 26% switching to lower-ABV options and 20% switching to non-alcoholic drinks when surveyed in Q3 2022. “Water is the most popular choice to reduce alcohol intake, with 60% of Gen Z consumers selecting this option,” Goldspink says. “Boomers are more likely to choose coffee, tea or another hot drink, while Millennials are more likely to combine full-strength wine or beer with a soft drink on the same occasion.”
If people are moderating their booze intake, we do have some non-alc options that are quite tasty.
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