Is the tap running dry for alcohol? No-low boom sees 50% turning down the tipple…

With more people than ever trying Dry January this year, record sales of no and low alcohol already being reported, and the emergence of a new generation that’s shunning the pub, are we seeing a gradual shift towards a booze-free future?

It’s not unusual for January to be a time of abstinence. Fresh starts and a ‘New Year, New You’ attitude always see a collective detox. But with the pandemic precipitating a new wave of health-consciousness, will this year’s dry Jan be more long-term than usual? With record numbers of people turning to no and low alcohol alternatives over the last 18 months (the category saw a 32.5% uplift in early 2020 [Nielsen]), and a new generation of consumers that drink less than any that went before them (only 15% of Gen Z drink weekly, compared to 36% of boomers [Lombardo]), are we beginning to see a major shift in behaviours around drinking?

We asked our global insights community about their changing attitudes and behaviours towards alcohol, the impact of the pandemic on their approaches to health and whether or not they’ll be doing dry January this year. This is what they had to say…

To drink or not to drink…. That is the question

With Covid-19 triggering a new urgency around health-conscious consumption, exactly half of our community have committed to Dry January this month. Their reasons? 70% wanted to take better care of their bodies, 30% wanted to save money and 38% attributed their decision partly to the pandemic, saying coronavirus affected their choice to attempt an alcohol-free month. Anecdotally, we’re seeing a rise in a ‘It’s lockdown… I can’t go out anyway. I may as well use this time to not drink’ attitude, combined with the virus increasing a focus on health. 

Putting the lid on the bottle?
With only 25% of our global community having tried Dry Jan before, and 50% doing it this year, we can see a big rise in those wanting to get healthy and ditch the drink. In addition to the half of our audience who are going dry this month, 30% said they knew someone else attempting a sober January. Anecdotal responses also reported an increase in those extending their period of abstinence into February too – with frequent mentions of ‘carrying it on as long as they can’. 

Locking down the alcohol cabinet?
Quarantine also contributed to the community’s decisions regarding Dry January and a move towards no-low options. With the closure of pubs and bars, our community saw this month as the perfect time to give sobriety a go! 44% said the pandemic affected their decision to do dry Jan.

No-low rising… Last orders for full alcohol drinks?
Our community is excited about this sober revolution – and a future filled with more and better no and low alcohol options. 40% of our global community stated they were more inclined to try low-alcohol drinks this year as opposed to other years, and half said they would drink them at home, in a bar, or with a meal out.

The everywhere drink…
When asked where they would consider drinking low-alcohol alternatives, our community responded that they would drink them anywhere and everywhere. Be it the pub after work, a business lunch or a child’s party, the benefits of not drinking beverages with high alcohol content were evident. With the inconvenience of tipsiness removed but the full flavour retained, people were keen to drink these options at any occasion.

But it’s not just alcohol people are consuming less of…
Food was also a big topic for our Bulbsharers, with 89% claiming they want to eat more healthily this year, 72% aiming to cut down sugar intake and 83% intending to eat less processed food.

Mind, body and soul…
With many people claiming that limiting alcohol was an important step towards better mental health, we also observed an increased determination around self-improvement and self-care. When 62% of people struggled with their mental wellbeing in 2020, the resolve to have a happier year was palpable. 83% of audiences intended to use mindfulness apps, 56% of people hoped to speak to a professional about their mental health and 83% wanted to institute better routines for exercise and sleep.

2021: Health is wealth
With a noticeable trend of saving money and looking after one’s physical and mental health, the crucial brand takeaway is that this will be a year of sensible decisions, cautious spending and health consciousness. Our customer polls informed us that 50% of people want to save more money than last year, 33% want to get out on more walks and 89% want to make more home-cooked meals – on top of a big drive toward drinking less. 

Brand tool-kit:

1. Healthy, happy, positive branding. Repurpose your branding and product towards this collective vision of a year of mental and physical wellbeing. Can your brand mission promote this better future of healthy bank accounts, minds and bodies?
2. Show your caring side. With so many of our community members reporting an increased interest in self-care, your brand voice can tap into this need for compassion.
3. Sobriety rising. Our customer surveys showed that no-alcohol drinks are on the rise. So, with these insights in mind, promote low-alcohol and healthier options where you can. Your audience has never been so receptive.
4. A year of austerity. With so many in our community telling us they are looking to budget and cut back this year, and with one of the few reservations around low and no-alcohol options being the cost, brands should be promoting value, low-cost and budgeting options for what is set to be a tough financial year for many.