Could 'Coasting' this Perfect Way to Experience an Alcoholic Drink This New Year's Eve?
The festive season and New Year's Eve gatherings often used to result in a hangover, but with temperance now the new norm, the latest beverage sector popular phrase is “coasting”.
This entails choosing a white wine, lager, or even a cocktail that is approximately half the alcohol content of the standard version – allowing you can have the same number of drinks without suffering the worse for wear.
The Emergence of Moderate-Strength Options
True to its name, “mid-strength” drinks fill the middle territory between no and low-alcohol (nolo) and standard options. While there is no firm industry definition yet, typical strengths are:
- Beers and ciders: Approximately 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 UK adults consuming less alcohol in the past. The average UK adult consumed approximately 10.2 alcoholic drinks a week in 2024.
This marks the lowest figure since records began in 1990 and is lower than a peak of 14 weekly drinks 20 years prior. Notably total abstention is not on the rise, which suggests more mindful drinking habits are behind this trend.
Evolving Preferences and Market Demand
Major supermarkets are catering to the country's changing drinking culture by offering more mid-strength brands. These include options like a rosé at 9%, a sauvignon blanc at 3.4%, and a gin at 15%, alongside alcohol-free alternatives.
Online searches for non-alcoholic brands increased ahead of the festive period. Popular in-demand items have included British non-alcoholic aperitifs modeled on Italian classics, as well as a spicy ginger drink. There is also notable excitement around a new beer brand launched by a famous actor.
“Consumers still want big flavours from alcohol-free drinks,” noted 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 cater to this demand.
The Mainstream Push and Drinker Habits
To make mid-strength drinking “widely accepted,” a group of focused drinks brands has created a “group”.
A poll of drinking habits found that:
- 21% of consumers are still drinking alcohol but having a reduced amount per occasion.
- 13% regularly “coast” through their social events.
- 6% practice “zebra striping” – rotating between alcoholic, mid-strength, and alcohol-free drinks during the same gathering.
“The way consumers approach alcohol is changing,” stated a consumer insight director. “While some are opting for alcohol-free alternatives, a increasing segment is adopting mid-strength alcohol as the perfect middle ground.”
This approach is seen as allowing them to prolong their social experiences without compromising on taste, quality, and the social ritual.
