The festive season and New Year's Eve gatherings often used to lead to a morning-after regret, but with restraint now the order of the day, the new beverage sector popular phrase is “coasting”.
This entails selecting a white wine, lager, or even a cocktail that is about half the alcohol content of the regular version – allowing you can have the equivalent amount of drinks without experiencing the after-effects.
The Emergence of Lower-ABV Options
As the name implies, “mid-strength” drinks occupy the middle territory between no and low-alcohol (nolo) and full-strength options. While an official industry definition yet, typical ABVs are:
- Beers and ciders: Around 2-3% alcohol by volume.
- Wines: Typically 3-9% alcohol by volume.
- Spirits: Often 15-20% alcohol by volume.
This rise of coasting aligns with data showing Britons drinking less alcohol than before. The average UK adult consumed approximately 10.2 alcoholic drinks a week in 2024.
This represents the smallest amount ever since records began in 1990 and is a decrease from a high of 14 weekly drinks 20 years prior. Interestingly total abstention is not increasing, which indicates more moderate drinking habits are fueling this shift.
Evolving Habits and Consumer Demand
Major supermarkets are catering to the country's evolving drinking culture by stocking more mid-strength brands. These encompass options like a pink wine at 9%, a sauvignon blanc at 3.4%, and a gin at 15%, alongside alcohol-free alternatives.
Online searches for nolo brands surged in the run-up to the holidays. Popular in-demand items have included British non-alcoholic pre-dinner drinks inspired by Italian classics, as well as a fiery ginger aperitif. There is also significant buzz around a new beer brand co-founded by a famous actor.
“Consumers still want robust taste from nolo drinks,” commented an industry expert. “They want options beyond just spirit substitutes.”
Sales of non-alcoholic cocktails and wines in cans are also reportedly “thriving,” leading to additional product listings on shelves to satisfy this demand.
Wider Push and Drinker Habits
To make mid-strength drinking “mainstream,” a group of focused drinks brands has created a “alliance”.
A poll of drinking habits showed that:
- 21% of consumers are still drinking alcohol but having less overall.
- 13% actively “coast” through their nights out.
- 6% practice “alternating” – rotating between alcoholic, mid-strength, and alcohol-free drinks within the same occasion.
“The way consumers approach alcohol is transforming,” observed a strategy insight director. “While some are opting for alcohol-free options, a increasing segment is adopting mid-strength alcohol as the ideal middle ground.”
This approach is described as enabling them to prolong their social experiences without sacrificing on flavor, quality, and the social ritual.
