IWSR Sees Gen Z Interest in One-Month Abstinence Stands

Month-long alcohol abstinence campaigns are losing momentum among Australian Gen Z consumers over the legal drinking age (LDA+), according to new findings from the IWSR’s latest Bevtrac survey.

In Australia, the share of Gen Z LDA+ drinkers who reported abstaining from alcohol for a month or more in the past six months fell sharply, from 39 percent to 24 percent.

A similar trend was observed in the UK, where the proportion of Gen Z LDA+ drinkers reporting one month abstinence decreased from 33% in autumn 2024 to 24% in autumn 2025.

Salvatore Margiotta, owner of Carlingford Cellar Door in Sydney, agrees with the data, adding that in-store he notices a general trend toward moderation beyond one-month abstinence periods.

“We see a clear decline in sales in January, dry July and October, but we see this across all segments, not just young drinkers. There appears to be a shift from these specific periods of abstinence to an overall reduction in alcohol consumption among young consumers,” he said.

“Based on sales in our store, younger drinkers appear to be drinking considerably less than younger drinkers in the past, but also less than middle-aged and older drinkers consume today. There also appears 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 of Casa De Vino in Melbourne, said he was noticing fewer alcohol-free month-long periods among Gen Z and millennial customers, likely reflecting lower overall consumption.

“This generation tends to drink more conscientiously throughout the year and make more health-conscious choices, so there is less need to ‘reset’ with a full month off,” he said.

“At the same time, we are seeing a strong shift towards experiential drinking across all demographics, and particularly for Generation Z. Their calendars are filled with music festivals, sporting events, social occasions, so alcohol consumption is more often linked to moments and experiences rather than routine consumption at home. »

Younger generations are turning to moderation

IWSR President and CEO Marten Lodewijks said: “Moderation is still an important trend across the alcoholic beverage industry, but periods of performative abstinence are less of the driving force they once were. Instead, consumers are moderating by drinking less often and, when they do drink, they tend to drink less. This is partly due to changing social attitudes and trends, but it It is clear that the decline in disposable income is also a key factor.

Boadle said cost-of-living challenges greatly affect what younger shoppers look for in stores.

“We are seeing two trends. Some buyers are drinking about the same volume but lowering the price. Others are drinking less overall, but choosing higher quality when they buy.

“The ‘drink less, drink better’ behavior is most visible among later millennials and Gen Z, particularly in wine. Generally speaking, cost-of-living pressures are impacting most demographics, but the biggest change is where people are on the price scale rather than whether they’re buying alcohol. For example, customers who previously could splurge on a $250 to $350 spirit are now more likely to choose from the $150-$250 range, still premium quality, but more considered,” he said.

IWSR data also revealed that after significant increases over the past two years, the alcohol consumption rate of Gen Z LDA+ has stabilized and is gradually converging with the alcohol consumption rate of the general population.

By mid-2025, 74 percent of Gen Z LDA+ respondents reported drinking in the past six months, significantly higher than at the start of 2023, when only 66 percent reported drinking in the past six months.

As a result, Margiotta suggests that 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 value-for-money alternative variety wines as customers look to switch categories rather than just bargain down,” he said.

While Boadle expects premium products backed by discovery and experience to continue to grow.

“Premium Tequila has seen remarkable growth over the past few years, and everything we see suggests it will continue to grow through 2026. Alongside this, there is early momentum among customers experimenting with less ‘mainstream’ spirits categories like rum, cognac, armagnac and calvados.

“People want bottles that look interesting to bring to a meeting, or products that support tasting moments where they are learning something – not just drinking for the sake of drinking.”

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