The festive season and New Year's Eve gatherings often used to culminate in a hangover, but with moderation now the prevailing trend, the latest drinks industry popular phrase is “coasting”.
This entails choosing a white wine, lager, or even a cocktail that is roughly 50% the ABV of the regular version – allowing you can have the identical quantity of drinks without feeling the after-effects.
The Rise of Mid-Strength Options
True to its name, “mid-strength” drinks fill the middle ground between no and low-alcohol (nolo) and standard options. While an official industry definition yet, typical ABVs are:
- Beers and ciders: About 2-3% alcohol by volume.
- Wines: Usually 3-9% alcohol by volume.
- Spirits: Often 15-20% alcohol by volume.
This advent of coasting aligns with data showing people in Britain drinking less alcohol than before. The typical UK adult had around 10.2 alcoholic drinks a week in 2024.
This is the lowest figure ever since records began in 1990 and is lower than a high of 14 weekly drinks two decades ago. Interestingly total teetotalism is not increasing, which suggests more cautious drinking habits are behind this change.
Shifting Habits and Consumer Response
Major supermarkets are responding to the country's evolving drinking culture by stocking 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 nolo alternatives.
Online searches for non-alcoholic brands increased in the run-up to the festive period. Popular in-demand items have included UK-made non-alcoholic pre-dinner drinks modeled on Italian classics, as well as a fiery ginger aperitif. There is also considerable buzz around a new brew co-founded by a famous actor.
“Shoppers still want robust taste from nolo drinks,” said an industry buyer. “They want options beyond 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 meet this demand.
The Mainstream Move and Consumer Behaviors
To make mid-strength drinking “widely accepted,” a group of specialist drinks brands has formed a “group”.
A survey of drinking habits found that:
- 21% of consumers are continuing to consume alcohol but having a reduced amount in total.
- 13% regularly “coast” through their evenings.
- 6% practice “alternating” – switching between alcoholic, mid-strength, and alcohol-free drinks during the same gathering.
“The way consumers engage with alcohol is evolving,” stated a consumer insight director. “While some are choosing alcohol-free alternatives, a growing segment is embracing mid-strength alcohol as the perfect compromise.”
This approach is suggested to be allowing them to extend their evenings without compromising on taste, enjoyment, and overall experience.
