The festive season and New Year's Eve gatherings often used to culminate in a morning-after regret, but with restraint now the new norm, the latest beverage sector trending term is “coasting”.
This involves selecting a white wine, lager, or even a cocktail that is approximately half the strength of the standard version – so you can have the identical quantity of drinks without feeling the negative effects.
The Rise of Moderate-Strength Choices
True to its name, “mid-strength” drinks fill the sweet spot between no and low-alcohol (nolo) and standard options. While an official industry definition yet, typical ranges are:
- Beers and ciders: Around 2-3% alcohol by volume.
- Wines: Ranging from 3-9% alcohol by volume.
- Spirits: Generally 15-20% alcohol by volume.
This advent of coasting chimes with data showing people in Britain consuming less alcohol than before. The typical UK adult had approximately 10.2 alcoholic drinks a week in 2024.
This is the lowest figure since records began in 1990 and is a decrease from a peak of 14 weekly drinks 20 years prior. Notably total teetotalism is not on the rise, which indicates more moderate drinking habits are fueling this shift.
Shifting Preferences and Market Demand
Major supermarkets are tapping into the country's evolving drinking culture by offering more mid-strength brands. These encompass options like a pink wine at 9%, a white wine at 3.4%, and a spirit at 15%, alongside nolo alternatives.
Web searches for non-alcoholic brands surged ahead of the festive period. Popular searches have included British non-alcoholic aperitifs inspired by Italian classics, as well as a fiery ginger aperitif. There is also considerable buzz around a new beer brand launched by a well-known actor.
“Consumers still want big flavours from nolo drinks,” commented an industry expert. “They want options beyond just gin alternatives.”
Sales of alcohol-free cocktails and wines in cans are also reportedly “flourishing,” leading to additional product ranges on shelves to meet this growing appetite.
The Mainstream Push and Drinker Behaviors
To make mid-strength drinking “mainstream,” a alliance of focused drinks brands has formed a “alliance”.
A study of drinking habits showed that:
- 21% of consumers are still drinking alcohol but having a reduced amount per occasion.
- 13% actively “coast” through their social events.
- 6% practice “alternating” – rotating between alcoholic, mid-strength, and alcohol-free drinks during the same gathering.
“The way consumers engage with alcohol is evolving,” observed a consumer insight director. “While some are opting for alcohol-free alternatives, a expanding segment is adopting mid-strength alcohol as the perfect balance.”
This approach is suggested to be allowing them to lengthen their social experiences without compromising on flavor, quality, and the social ritual.
