Christmas and New Year's Eve festivities often used to result in a next-day headache, but with temperance now the new norm, the new beverage sector buzzword is “coasting”.
This entails opting for a white wine, lager, or even a cocktail that is about half the alcohol content of the regular version – so you can enjoy the equivalent amount of drinks without feeling the after-effects.
The Rise of Mid-Strength Choices
True to its name, “mid-strength” drinks fill the sweet spot between no and low-alcohol (nolo) and full-strength options. While a precise industry guideline yet, typical strengths 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 advent of coasting chimes with data showing Britons drinking less alcohol in the past. The typical UK adult drank around 10.2 alcoholic drinks a week in 2024.
This represents the lowest figure ever since records began in 1990 and is lower than a high of 14 weekly drinks two decades ago. Notably total avoidance is not on the rise, which indicates more moderate drinking habits are driving this change.
Changing Preferences and Consumer Response
Major supermarkets are responding to the country's changing drinking culture by offering more mid-strength brands. These include options like a pink wine at 9%, a sauvignon blanc at 3.4%, and a spirit at 15%, alongside alcohol-free alternatives.
Online searches for nolo brands spiked in the run-up to the holidays. Popular in-demand items have included British non-alcoholic pre-dinner drinks modeled on Italian classics, as well as a spicy ginger drink. There is also considerable excitement around a new brew co-founded by a well-known actor.
“Consumers still want robust taste from nolo drinks,” said an industry buyer. “They want options beyond just spirit substitutes.”
Sales of alcohol-free cocktails and wines in cans are also described as “flourishing,” leading to new product additions on shelves to meet this growing appetite.
Wider Push and Consumer Behaviors
To make mid-strength drinking “mainstream,” a coalition of specialist drinks brands has established a “alliance”.
A survey of drinking habits showed that:
- 21% of consumers are continuing to consume alcohol but having fewer drinks per occasion.
- 13% regularly “coast” through their social events.
- 6% practice “alternating” – switching between alcoholic, mid-strength, and alcohol-free drinks within the same gathering.
“The way consumers engage with alcohol is transforming,” observed a consumer insight director. “While some are choosing alcohol-free alternatives, a growing segment is adopting mid-strength alcohol as the ideal compromise.”
This approach is described as enabling them to prolong their social experiences without compromising on flavor, quality, and the social ritual.
