Christmas and New Year's Eve festivities traditionally would lead to a hangover, but with moderation now the new norm, the latest beverage sector popular phrase is “coasting”.
This entails choosing a white wine, lager, or even a cocktail that is approximately half the alcohol content of the standard version – allowing you can have the identical quantity of drinks without feeling the negative effects.
The Growth of Mid-Strength Alternatives
True to its name, “mid-strength” drinks take up the middle territory between no and low-alcohol (nolo) and regular options. While there is no firm industry standard yet, typical ABVs are:
- Beers and ciders: About 2-3% alcohol by volume.
- Wines: Typically 3-9% alcohol by volume.
- Spirits: Commonly 15-20% alcohol by volume.
This advent of coasting chimes with data showing Britons consuming less alcohol than before. The average UK adult drank around 10.2 alcoholic drinks a week in 2024.
This marks the smallest amount ever since records began in 1990 and is lower than a high of 14 weekly drinks two decades ago. Interestingly total avoidance is not increasing, which suggests more moderate drinking habits are fueling this change.
Shifting Habits and Market Response
Major retailers are tapping into the country's evolving drinking culture by carrying 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 alcohol-free alternatives.
Online searches for nolo brands increased before the holidays. Popular queries have included British non-alcoholic pre-dinner drinks modeled on Italian classics, as well as a spicy ginger drink. There is also considerable interest around a new beer brand launched by a well-known actor.
“Consumers still want robust taste from nolo 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 “booming,” leading to new product additions on shelves to satisfy this growing appetite.
Wider Push and Consumer Habits
To make mid-strength drinking “widely accepted,” a alliance of specialist drinks brands has created a “group”.
A study of drinking habits showed that:
- 21% of consumers are still drinking alcohol but having a reduced amount overall.
- 13% regularly “coast” through their nights out.
- 6% practice “alternating” – rotating between alcoholic, mid-strength, and alcohol-free drinks within the same occasion.
“The way consumers consume alcohol is transforming,” stated a consumer insight director. “While some are opting for alcohol-free options, a expanding segment is adopting mid-strength alcohol as the ideal balance.”
This approach is described as enabling them to prolong their time out without sacrificing on taste, enjoyment, and the social ritual.
