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As the summer holiday season in the northern hemisphere draws to a close, those who have been sipping glasses of rosé at sunset may be surprised to learn what proportion of “alcoholic” drinks these days contain little or no of the hard liquor. Non-alcoholic beer, wine, gin, tequila and “mocktails” are the ones that are currently growing in the big time in the drinks industry.
A sector once considered fairly resilient is not having the best of times overall. Global sales of alcoholic drinks fell 1 percent in volume, though they rose 2 percent in value, last year, says drinks research group IWSR. Spirits volumes in the key US market fell 2 percent for the first time in almost 30 years. But US non-alcoholic drinks volumes fell 2 percent. rose by 29 percentIn 2023, global non-alcoholic beer volumes grew by 6%, wine by 7% and spirits by 15%. Growth in non-alcoholic and low-alcohol beverages is expected to be around five times that of total alcoholic beverages over the 2023-28 period.
What the sector calls the “integration of society” moderation”It partly reflects the pressure of rising living costs; the drinks industry arguably raised prices too much in the good times, and spent years encouraging people to opt for “premium” brands. Most age groups are also more health-conscious.
But alcohol consumption is in sharp decline, particularly among millennials and generation X. Nearly a third of Britons aged 18 to 24 say they drink less than a year ago, according to the CGA consultancy. Found this monthwith 13 percent abstaining altogether. An appropriately Gen X-sounding label — “sober curious” — has been applied to the trend, which cleverly labels the rejection of guilty pleasures as a form of experimentation in and of itself.
There is an element of rebellion against parents here: some young people consider drunkenness simply uncool. Many are far more burdened than previous generations by student debt and housing costs, and more aware of the importance of wellbeing. And those who spend much of their lives online are afraid of getting so drunk they can’t remember what they were doing (although, for their parents, that was often the goal).
In addition to low- or no-alcohol drinks, many young people are turning to cheaper, less hangover-inducing alternatives, including cannabis (Gallup says Cannabis use has doubled among 18- to 34-year-olds in the U.S. over the past decade) or other soft drugs or “functional” beverages. These may be infused with CBD oil, adaptogens, or nootropics (plants or mushrooms said to produce effects such as lowering inhibitions or unleashing creative freedom).
There are consolations for hard liquor makers. One is that as they become more adept at producing low- or no-alcohol beverages, tastes like the real thingOr at least satisfying to drink, they can present them as sub-brands of brands they have invested in for decades, or draw on their brand-building expertise to create new ones. Another, says IWSR, is that the main segment it is losing to non-alcoholic drinks is not full-strength drinks, but other alcohol-free options, such as water or soft drinks.
Where might all this end? Epicureans of a certain age may lament (out of earshot of Gen Z offspring) that removing alcohol from alcoholic drinks seems to be part of a continuum that began with removing caffeine from coffee, fat from greasy foods, and sugar from sugary drinks. It has extended to removing (cow’s) milk from milk, sausage from sausage rolls, and indeed meat from meat.
However, if those who, for medical, lifestyle or ethical reasons, have to limit their consumption of such products can enjoy alternatives that offer similar taste sensations, that is certainly a good thing. And if greater moderation and the growth of alcohol substitutes It allows people to still enjoy drinks and nights out, but with fewer undesirable outcomes (personal and social) from excessive drinking, so it may be worth raising a glass of non-alcoholic prosecco.