Christmas and New Year's Eve festivities often used to culminate in a next-day headache, but with temperance now the order of the day, the new drinks industry buzzword is “coasting”.
This means selecting a white wine, lager, or even a cocktail that is about half the alcohol content of the standard version – allowing you can have the equivalent amount of drinks without experiencing the negative effects.
The Emergence of Moderate-Strength Choices
True to its name, “mid-strength” drinks fill the sweet spot between alcohol-free and low-ABV and standard options. While a precise industry standard yet, typical ABVs are:
- Beers and ciders: Around 2-3% alcohol by volume.
- Wines: Typically 3-9% alcohol by volume.
- Spirits: Generally 15-20% alcohol by volume.
This emergence of coasting chimes with data showing Britons drinking less alcohol in the past. The average UK adult consumed around 10.2 alcoholic drinks a week in 2024.
This represents the smallest amount ever since data collection began in 1990 and is a decrease from a high of 14 weekly drinks 20 years prior. Interestingly total teetotalism is not on the rise, which indicates more moderate drinking habits are fueling this change.
Evolving Habits and Consumer Demand
Major supermarkets are tapping into the country's evolving drinking culture by stocking more mid-strength brands. These feature options like a pink wine at 9%, a white wine at 3.4%, and a spirit at 15%, alongside nolo alternatives.
Web searches for nolo brands surged ahead of the festive period. Popular queries have featured UK-made non-alcoholic aperitifs inspired by Italian classics, as well as a fiery ginger aperitif. There is also significant interest around a new beer brand launched by a well-known actor.
“Consumers still want big flavours from nolo drinks,” noted an industry buyer. “They want more than just gin alternatives.”
Sales of non-alcoholic cocktails and wines in cans are also described as “flourishing,” leading to additional product listings on shelves to cater to this demand.
Wider Move and Drinker Behaviors
To make mid-strength drinking “the norm,” a alliance of specialist drinks brands has established a “alliance”.
A poll of drinking habits found that:
- 21% of consumers are still drinking alcohol but having a reduced amount in total.
- 13% actively “coast” through their nights out.
- 6% practice “zebra striping” – switching between alcoholic, mid-strength, and alcohol-free drinks during the same occasion.
“The way consumers approach alcohol is changing,” stated a consumer insight director. “While some are choosing alcohol-free alternatives, a expanding segment is turning to mid-strength alcohol as the ideal middle ground.”
This approach is suggested to be allowing them to prolong their social experiences without sacrificing on flavor, enjoyment, and the social ritual.
