Younger drinkers from Gen Z & some later millennials are increasingly ditching the booze, with more than a quarter of 16-25 year olds classing themselves as teetotal. That's a significant gap in the market which is being filled by the better-for-you trend (BFY) towards health boosting, non-alcoholic drinks that ally themselves with this shift in generational values towards more healthy lifestyle and personal values - and it's more than just a fad.
Be it alcohol-free alternatives to craft beers, ciders and increasingly, AF spirits, to more specialist drinks containing ingredients such as CBD or bioactive mushrooms which offer properties such as immune support, heart health or increased cognitive function, the market has huge potential and whilst currently there are lots of smaller players intent on penetrating it, the bigger names in the drinks industry are also eyeing this trend as a potential revenue stream and there will no doubt be many of them looking to enter the market either through acquisition or innovation.
It's a trend that's social media friendly as well. With an increased awareness from younger consumers about online behaviour and the risks associated with photos of - ahem - slightly worse for wear images of themselves appearing online, BFY drinks can look as appealing as a cocktail without the worry of a career-limiting photo showing up on Insta after one too many of them!
Are you a GenZ who's eschewing alcohol for BFY alternatives? Would love to hear your thoughts! Or do you think this is just a fad?
In fact, according to a study of drinking habits in the UK, more than a quarter of 16- to 25-year-olds declare themselves teetotal (26 percent) compared to just 15 percent of those who are aged between 55 and 74. These younger drinkers still want something to quench their thirst, and that means no and low alcohol options are becoming more popular among them.
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