Monthlong alcohol-abstinence campaigns are losing momentum among Australia’s Gen Z legal drinking age (LDA+) consumers, according to new findings from IWSR’s latest Bevtrac survey.
In Australia, the share of Gen Z LDA+ drinkers who said they had abstained from alcohol for a month or longer in the past six months fell sharply, dropping from 39 per cent to 24 per cent.
A similar trend was observed in the UK, where the proportion of Gen Z LDA+ drinkers reporting monthlong abstinence declined from 33 per cent in autumn 2024 to 24 per cent in autumn 2025.
Salvatore Margiotta, Owner of Sydney’s Carlingford Cellar Door agreed with the data, adding that in-store he is noticing an overall trend towards moderation beyond month long spells of abstinence.
“We do see a distinct drop in sales during January, Dry July and October but we see this across all segments, not just younger drinkers. There does appear to be a shift away from these specific periods of abstinence, towards an overall reduction in drinking amongst younger consumers,” he said.
“Based on sales in our shop, younger drinkers seem to drink considerably less than younger drinkers in the past, but also less than middle aged and older drinkers consume today. There also seems to be a disappearing middle in terms of alcoholic strength, with some younger consumers seeking lower ABV options and others seeking higher ABV drinks.”
Jonathan Boadle, General Manager at Melbourne’s Casa De Vino said he is noticing fewer month-long no alcohol periods among Gen Z and Millennial customers, likely reflecting lower overall consumption.
“This generation tends to drink more mindfully year-round and make more health-conscious choices so there’s less need to ‘reset’ with a full month off,” he said.
“At the same time, we’re seeing a strong shift toward experiential drinking across all demographics, and especially for Gen Z. Their calendars are packed with music festivals, sporting events, social occasions, so drinking is more often tied to moments and experiences rather than routine at-home consumption.”
Younger generations turn to moderation
IWSR President and Managing Director Marten Lodewijks said: “Moderation is still an important trend across the entire beverage alcohol industry, but performative abstinence periods are less of the driving force they once were. Instead, consumers moderate by drinking less often and, when they do drink, they tend to drink less. This is partly driven by shifting attitudes and social trends, but it’s clear that declining disposable income is also a key factor.”
Boadle affirmed that cost-of-living challenges are greatly affecting what younger shoppers are reaching for in-store.
“We’re seeing two patterns. Some shoppers are drinking roughly the same volume but trading down in price point. Others are drinking less overall, but are choosing better quality when they do purchase.
“The ‘drink less, drink better’ behaviour is most noticeable among late Millennials and Gen Z, particularly in wine. Broadly, cost-of-living pressure is impacting most demographics, but the bigger change is where people sit on the price ladder rather than whether they buy alcohol at all. For example, customers who might previously splurge on a $250–$350 spirit are now more likely to choose in the $150–$250 range, still premium, but more considered,” he said.
The IWSR data also revealed that after significant increases over the past two years, the Gen Z LDA+ drinking rate has stabilised and is gradually converging with the drinking rate of the general population.
In mid-2025, 74 per cent of Gen Z LDA+ respondents reported drinking in the last six months, substantially higher than in early 2023, when only 66 per cent reported drinking in the past six months.
As a result, Margiotta suggests in 2026 format trends will likely reflect stable participation from Gen Z drinkers.
“We’ve seen increased interest in single serve wines, growth in six-pack sales at the expense of case beer and small format spirits. We’re also seeing increased interest in good value, alternative variety wines with customers seeking to shift category rather than simply trading down,” he said.
While Boadle expects premium products backed by discovery and experience will continue to grow.
“Premium Tequila has been a standout growth story over the past few years, and everything we’re seeing suggests it will continue to build into 2026. Alongside that, there’s early momentum in customers experimenting with less ‘mainstream’ spirit categories like rum, Cognac, Armagnac, and calvados.
“People want bottles that feel interesting to bring to a gathering, or products that support tasting moments where they’re learning something – not just drinking for drinking’s sake.”
For more exclusive content from National Liquor News, subscribe to our weekly newsletters here.
You can also join Australia’s largest network of liquor retail professionals on LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram.
Related
