Is 'Coasting' this Optimal Way to Savor an Alcoholic Drink on New Year's Eve?
The festive season and New Year's Eve gatherings often used to result in a next-day headache, but with moderation now the prevailing trend, the latest beverage sector buzzword is “coasting”.
This entails selecting a white wine, lager, or even a cocktail that is approximately half the alcohol content of the regular version – so you can enjoy the identical quantity of drinks without experiencing the negative effects.
The Growth of Lower-ABV Alternatives
As the name implies, “mid-strength” drinks fill the middle territory between no and low-alcohol (nolo) and full-strength options. While there is no firm industry guideline yet, typical ranges are:
- Beers and ciders: Around 2-3% alcohol by volume.
- Wines: Typically 3-9% alcohol by volume.
- Spirits: Commonly 15-20% alcohol by volume.
This advent of coasting aligns with data showing UK adults consuming less alcohol historically. The typical UK adult drank around 10.2 alcoholic drinks a week in 2024.
This represents the lowest figure ever since records began in 1990 and is lower than a high of 14 weekly drinks 20 years prior. Interestingly total avoidance is not increasing, which implies more mindful drinking habits are behind this trend.
Shifting Habits and Market Demand
Major retailers are responding to the country's evolving drinking culture by offering more mid-strength brands. These encompass options like a pink wine at 9%, a sauvignon blanc at 3.4%, and a gin at 15%, alongside alcohol-free alternatives.
Web searches for non-alcoholic brands surged ahead of the holidays. Popular searches have featured UK-made non-alcoholic aperitifs inspired by Italian classics, as well as a spicy ginger drink. There is also significant interest around a new beer brand co-founded by a well-known actor.
“Shoppers still want robust taste from alcohol-free drinks,” noted an industry buyer. “They want options beyond just spirit substitutes.”
Sales of alcohol-free cocktails and wines in cans are also described as “booming,” leading to new product additions on shelves to cater to this growing appetite.
The Mainstream Move and Consumer Habits
To make mid-strength drinking “widely accepted,” a coalition of specialist drinks brands has formed a “group”.
A study of drinking habits showed that:
- 21% of consumers are continuing to consume alcohol but having less in total.
- 13% regularly “coast” through their evenings.
- 6% practice “alternating” – rotating between alcoholic, mid-strength, and alcohol-free drinks during the same event.
“The way consumers consume alcohol is changing,” observed a strategy insight director. “While some are choosing alcohol-free options, a expanding segment is adopting mid-strength alcohol as the ideal compromise.”
This approach is described as enabling them to prolong their evenings without sacrificing on taste, enjoyment, and the social ritual.
