Gen Z Embrace The Holiday Season With A Focus On Drinking Alcohol In Moderation

A study from Mintel in the UK[i] on Gen Z drinking habits revealed that a significant number are opting for a more balanced approach, focussing on drinking in moderation.

As part of Mintel’s lifestyle research of Gen Z, 36% young adults aged 18-25 socialise by going to bars and pubs with friends. Going to restaurants is a popular choice, while online gaming, visiting cafes and going to the cinema have gained popularity.

“The study revealed that Gen Zers who are called ‘the sober curious generation’[ii], are drinking less alcohol than previous generations. We are seeing similar trends in New Zealand”, said NZABC Executive Director Virginia Nicholls.

A third of young people in the UK study aged 18-24 do not drink alcohol at all, and those who do tend to drink primarily as a treat, or to mark a special occasion. There is a growing preference for low and no alcohol alternatives.

A survey in the UK by KAM Insights[iii] found that 78% of Gen Z combine alcohol and non-alcoholic drinks on nights out called ‘zebra striping’ compared with two-thirds of adults.

“Across the NZ adult population we are also continuing to see the rise of low and no alcohol drinks. Independent consumer research[iv] found that 55% of respondents said they drank low-alcohol beverages in the past year (up from 40% in 2020). The most common reasons are because they were driving, tracking their beverage consumption, for health and wellbeing reasons and for a lower calorie drink”, said Virginia.

The recent release of the annual NZ Health survey[v] provides information on New Zealander’s health and wellbeing shows that 83.4% of NZ adults (more than four out of five of us) are drinking beer, wine and spirits responsibly. This is an increase of 4.7 percentage points over the past four years (78.7% 2019/20).

Hazardous drinking[vi] or harmful alcohol consumption among adults over the past four years has declined to 16.6% (21.3% 2019/20).

The largest decrease in hazardous drinking over the past five years was among young New Zealanders’ 18-24 years – a decline of 13.2 percentage points from 35.8% to 22.6%.

Some practical tips to promote responsible drinking over the festive season:

• Consider no or low wine, beer or spirits.
• If you choose to drink pace yourself and alternate between no and low alcohol drinks
• Count the number of standard drinks you are having
• Stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water
• Have a meal or snack if your drinking
• Make sure your friends and family get home safely

The Health NZ guidelines for low risk drinking are two standard drinks a day for women, and three standard drinks a day for men, with at least two alcohol-free days each week.

Anyone with questions about their drinking, please speak to their healthcare professional.

References:

[i] Mintel’s Alcoholic Drinks Review UK, 2023. Accessed 10 December 2024: Gen Z: The Sober Curious Generation | Mintel

Mintel: social activities of gen Z, 2022: 580 internet users, aged 16-25. Source: Mintel’s lifestyles of generation Z UK, 2023.

Mintel: reasons for drinking alcohol, 2023: 1,634 internet users aged 18+ who have drunk alcohol either in or out of the home in the last 3 months. Source Mintel’s alcoholic drinks review UK 2023

Mintel: enticements to buy non-alcoholic/alcohol-free drinks, 2023: 1,969 internet users aged 18+. Source: Mintel’s attitudes towards low and no alcohol drinks UK, 2023.

[ii] Mintel’s Alcoholic Drinks Review UK, 2023.. Gen Z, refers to the generation cohort that was born between 1997-2010, succeeding Millennials. Gen Z grew up with technology, social media and the internet and can be described as digital natives. Accessed 10 December 2024: Gen Z: The Sober Curious Generation | Mintel

[iii] Why 'zebra striping' could be this year's biggest Christmas party trend, 29 November 2024. Accessed 10 December 24

[iv] Conducted by Curia Market Research, October 2024, 1000 respondents across New Zealand.

[v] New Zealand Health Survey | Ministry of Health NZ, accessed 19 November 2024

[vi] Hazardous drinking among the total population. Hazardous drinking refers to a score of 8 or more on the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT), which suggests hazardous or harmful alcohol consumption.

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