Research conducted by alcohol industry regulator The Portman Group and YouGov, which is the seventh annual survey between the two bodies, found the UK is moderating its alcohol intake more than ever.
The results show 38% of those surveyed are now consuming low & no alcohol alternatives semi-regularly (12% regularly and 26% occasionally) – compared to 35% in 2023 and 29% in 2022, with a notable increase in regular consumption from 8% in 2023 to 12% in 2024.
Young adults continue to drive the trend as the biggest consumers of low & no alcohol alternatives, with close to half (46%) of 25 to 34-year-olds quizzed considering themselves either an occasional or regular drinker of alcohol alternatives, compared to 37% in 2023. Meanwhile, 40% of 18 to 24-year-olds also drink these products semi-regularly.
39% of 18 to 24-year-olds teetotal
Trends show the younger generation also continue to be the most sober age group overall, with 39% of 18 to 24-year-olds not drinking alcohol at all.
The results continue to highlight the positive impact of low & no alcohol alternatives in helping people to moderate their drinking, with almost a quarter (24%) of current alcohol drinkers stating their weekly consumption has fallen due to low & no alcohol products, up from 23% in 2023 and 21% in 2022.
The survey also highlights an increasingly health-conscious UK consumer, with 29% of low & no drinkers citing collective ‘health and medical’ concerns as a key reason for choosing an alcohol alternative – an increase of almost a third (32%) when compared to 2021 (22%).
For the seventh year in a row, being able to drive home from social events is the number one reason cited by low & no drinkers for choosing an alcohol alternative, with over a quarter (28%) stating they will most commonly drink such products in situations where they are unable to have a regular strength alcoholic drink such as when they are driving. This is especially important because pubs and bars remain the most popular locations for adults to drink low & no options.
Demand for more low & no draught choices
Almost a quarter of adults (24%) would still like to see more low & no options available on tap in pubs to further encourage them to drink. They also want to see greater use of price promotions (30%) and greater availability of low & no products in non-traditional hospitality spaces (26%) such as nightclubs, theatres, cinemas and live music and event venues.
The Portman Group CEO Matt Lambert said: “It’s fantastic to see low & no alternatives continuing to soar in popularity while helping to encourage more mindful and moderate consumption among UK alcohol drinkers.
“We welcome the drinks and hospitality industry continuing to work together to increase choice, availability and visibility of low & no alcohol alternatives, and we continue to urge the UK Government to provide us with the outcome of the recent consultation on low alcohol descriptors, which will further facilitate growth of the UK low and no alcohol market.”
