The festive season and New Year's Eve gatherings traditionally would culminate in a hangover, but with restraint now the prevailing trend, the emerging beverage sector buzzword is “coasting”.
This means selecting a white wine, lager, or even a cocktail that is roughly 50% the strength of the regular version – meaning you can consume the equivalent amount of drinks without feeling the negative effects.
The Growth of Moderate-Strength Choices
By definition, “mid-strength” drinks fill the middle ground between no and low-alcohol (nolo) and full-strength options. While a precise industry standard yet, typical ranges are:
- Beers and ciders: About 2-3% alcohol by volume.
- Wines: Typically 3-9% alcohol by volume.
- Spirits: Often 15-20% alcohol by volume.
This emergence of coasting corresponds to data showing UK adults consuming less alcohol in the past. The average UK adult had approximately 10.2 alcoholic drinks a week in 2024.
This represents the smallest amount since data collection began in 1990 and is down from a peak of 14 weekly drinks 20 years prior. Notably total teetotalism is not on the rise, which indicates more cautious drinking habits are fueling this shift.
Shifting Drinking Culture and Consumer Demand
Major retailers are responding to the country's changing drinking culture by stocking more mid-strength brands. These include options like a pink wine at 9%, a white wine at 3.4%, and a gin at 15%, alongside nolo alternatives.
Online searches for nolo brands increased in the run-up to the festive period. Popular searches have featured British non-alcoholic aperitifs inspired by Italian classics, as well as a spicy ginger aperitif. There is also notable buzz around a new beer brand co-founded by a well-known actor.
“People still want robust taste from alcohol-free drinks,” noted an industry buyer. “They want more than just gin alternatives.”
Sales of alcohol-free cocktails and wines in cans are also described as “flourishing,” leading to additional product ranges on shelves to cater to this growing appetite.
The Mainstream Push and Drinker Behaviors
To make mid-strength drinking “widely accepted,” a alliance of focused drinks brands has formed a “group”.
A survey of drinking habits showed that:
- 21% of consumers are still drinking alcohol but having a reduced amount per occasion.
- 13% regularly “coast” through their nights out.
- 6% practice “alternating” – rotating between alcoholic, mid-strength, and alcohol-free drinks during the same event.
“The way consumers engage with alcohol is changing,” stated a consumer insight director. “While some are opting for alcohol-free alternatives, a expanding segment is turning to mid-strength alcohol as the perfect middle ground.”
This approach is described as allowing them to extend their social experiences without compromising on taste, quality, and overall experience.
