More than a third of Britons are teetotal with Gen Z and the elderly most likely to avoid alcohol.
A YouGov poll found 34% of adults in England are non-drinkers, while the figures for Scotland and Wales stand at 33% and 30% respectively. Previous studies have put the total number of UK consumers snubbing alcohol at around 13%.
Nearly two in five over-65s – some 38% – currently abstain from booze, equalling the percentage of under-25s who don’t drink. But trade body the British Beer and Pub Association said this did not have to mean the end for British pubs, which have been hammered by problems such as rising bills and have struggled to attract punters through the door amid the cost-of-living crisis.
No and low-alcohol versions of popular drinks such as Guinness, Peroni and Heineken have seen a boost in sales in recent months, spurred by the trend for cutting back on drinking or stopping altogether.
The BBPA have called on the Government to align existing no and low thresholds with other nations as in the UK, no-alcohol products are categorised at 0.05%, but most of Europe categorises them at 0.5%. If the UK matched the rest of Europe, it would allow brewers to create more options.
Emma McClarkin, CEO of the BBPA, said: “We know people are increasingly seeking lower strength options, and our brewers and pubs are serving up a huge range of no and low beers to cater for this demand.
“With no and low options growing in popularity, Government must align existing no and low thresholds with other nations. This would allow us to flourish, which would benefit the customer, support public health goals, and allow the pub to continue being a home away from home.”
Dry January is still proving popular, with one in 10 Britons saying they were ditching alcohol this month as part of the challenge, the YouGov research found. Gen Z are most likely to quit booze for the first month of the year – with 15% of under-25s taking part.
Dry January, organised by charity Alcohol Change UK, sees participants give up boozing for the entirety of the first month of the year. However, a poll by Volvic found January 16 is the date most people give up, with 50% falling off the wagon then, with lack of motivation to blame.
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