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Christmas can be a boozy time of year but Britons are drinking less alcohol than before, as financial pressures, health concerns and an ageing population lead to cutbacks in consumption.
The average UK adult consumed 10.2 alcoholic drinks a week last year, the lowest figure since data collection began in 1990 and a decline of more than a quarter from the peak of 14 two decades ago, according to research company IWSR.
Teetotalism is not on the rise despite the decline in consumption, suggesting more moderate drinking habits have driven the trend.
“The population is ageing and older consumers physiologically don’t drink as much,” said Marten Lodewijks, IWSR president. “There are also elements of health consciousness . . . and the cost of living is up so people just can’t afford to ‘drink out’ as much.”
“Premiumisation” is also an emerging trend, as consumers seek out more expensive drinks while cutting back on how much alcohol they consume, helping the industry sustain revenues despite a decline in sales.
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Despite the macro trend, most Britons are likely to be indulgent at least some this week. A survey by charity Drinkaware found 57 per cent of UK adults expected to binge drink on Thursday, Christmas Day, rising to three-quarters of 18- to 34-year-olds.
IWSR’s latest estimate suggests the average UK adult still drinks more than the NHS recommended limit of 14 units of alcohol a week. For a 5% ABV beer, 10.2 drinks equate to more than 17 units.
While Generation Z — people of legal drinking age to 27 — consume less alcohol than previous generations at the same age, easing cost-of-living pressures have led more young Britons to turn their back on sobriety.
This autumn 79 per cent of Gen Z of legal age had consumed alcohol in the previous six months, up from 66 per cent in spring 2023, according to IWSR. Meanwhile, overall drinking rates among older Britons have remained stable.
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While most developed European economies are registering a similar downward trend to the UK in the number of weekly drinks, the US recorded a far more noticeable uptick during the Covid-19 pandemic.
As a result, the UK reported lower figures than America for the first time on record in 2020, a trend that has continued in the years since.
Lodewijks said a lot more US consumption took place at home, and so was not as affected by the closure of bars and restaurants during Covid lockdowns.
“The UK pub culture is quite distinct. It’s very common to go to the pub after work on a Thursday and Friday; that’s not as true in the US,” he added.
UK pubs are banking on a holiday boost after months of sluggish sales, with the largest listed pub groups all reporting Christmas bookings far ahead of last year.
Dolf van den Brink, boss of Dutch brewer Heineken, told the FT in October that beer’s qualities as a “social lubricant” must play an important role in the debate about the harms of alcohol.
Pointing to early evidence of collective beer drinking in Mesopotamia and ancient Egypt, he added: “Beer is one of the oldest, if not the oldest, consumer goods category.”
