More young people drinking low and no alcohol alternatives than ever – YouGov

The Portman Group’s seventh annual survey in partnership with YouGov reveals more people are drinking low and no alcohol alternatives than ever before, showing the UK is drinking more moderately than ever.

The results show that well over a third (38 per cent) of UK drinkers are now consuming low and no alcohol alternatives semi-regularly (12 per cent regularly and 26 per cent occasionally) – compared to 35 per cent in 2023 and 29 per cent in 2022, with a notable increase in regular consumption from eight per cent in 2023 to 12 per cent in 2024.

Young adults continue to drive the trend as the biggest consumers of low and no alcohol alternatives, with close to half (46 per cent) of 25-34 year olds surveyed considering themselves either an occasional or regular drinker of alcohol alternatives, compared to 37 per cent in 2023. Whilst 40 per cent of 18-24 year olds also drink these products semi-regularly.

Trends show that the younger generation also continue to be the most sober age group overall, with 39 per cent of 18-24 year olds not drinking alcohol at all.

The results continue to highlight the positive impact of low and no alcohol alternatives in helping people to moderate their drinking, with almost a quarter (24 per cent) of current alcohol drinkers stating that their weekly consumption has fallen due to low and no alcohol products, up from 23 per cent in 2023 and 21 per cent in 2022.

The survey also highlights an increasingly health-conscious UK consumer, with 29 per cent of low and no drinkers citing collective “health and medical” concerns as a key reason for choosing an alcohol alternative – an increase of almost a third (32 per cent) when compared to 2021 (22 per cent).

Not only are UK drinkers increasingly using low and no alcohol alternatives as a tool with which to moderate their drinking, but their rise in popularity is playing an important role in helping to tackle wider alcohol harms such as drink driving.

For the seventh year in a row, being able to drive home from social events is the number one reason cited by low and no drinkers for choosing an alcohol alternative, with over a quarter (28 per cent) stating they will most commonly drink low and no alternatives in situations where they are unable to have a regular strength alcoholic drink such as when they are driving. This is especially important as pubs and bars remain the most popular locations for adults to drink low and no alternatives.

While our research continues to tell a positive story of how low and no products are becoming increasingly normalised in everyday life, almost a quarter of adults (24 per cent) would still like to see more low and no options available on tap in pubs to further encourage them to drink. They also want to see greater use of price promotions (30 per cent) and greater availability of low and no products in non-traditional hospitality spaces (26 per cent) such as nightclubs, theatres, cinemas and live music and event venues.

“It’s fantastic to see low and no alternatives continuing to soar in popularity, while helping to encourage more mindful and moderate consumption among UK alcohol drinkers,” said Matt Lambert, Portman Group CEO. “We welcome the drinks and hospitality industry continuing to work together to increase choice, availability and visibility of low and no alcohol alternatives, and we continue to urge the UK government to provide us with the outcome of the recent consultation on low alcohol descriptors which will further facilitate growth of the UK low and no alcohol market.”