As the first month of 2025 comes to a close, so does the end of Dry January, the traditional month of alcohol abstinence after holiday indulgences. Yet a new study reveals that not only did a large number of Americans participate in this year’s planned restraint—many of them also plan to decrease their alcohol intake entirely for all of 2025.
This week NCSolutions a CPG marketing company, published the latest findings from a survey of 1,131 U.S. adults ages 21+ about the sober curious movement. The new study is a follow up to the company’s 2023 and 2024 surveys which also focused on interest in nonalcoholic beverages.
The latest stats: Almost half (49%) of Americans intend to drink less alcohol in 2025, a jump up from 41% in 2024 and 34% in 2023.
Thirty percent of those surveyed are participating in Dry January, marking the month the least popular to buy alcohol. In 2024, purchases of spirits dropped 39% in January compared to the month prior. Wine purchases fell 36%, and beer/cider/hard seltzer purchases decreased 21% over the same period.
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The popularity of nonalcoholic drink alternatives is definitely on the rise. The study found that purchases of nonalcoholic beer increased 22% from Dec. 2023 to Nov. 2024 in comparison to a year prior.
“As more consumers, especially younger ones, embrace a sober curious lifestyle, we’re seeing a change in purchasing behavior following this cultural shift,” said Alan Miles, chief executive officer, NCSolutions, in the announcement. “[Our] data shows the demand for new nonalcoholic beverage options grew steadily over the last three years. Beverage brands are meeting and contributing to this demand with new nonalcoholic products on the shelves.”
Nonalcoholic options go beyond wine, beer and spirts, as they now include both THC- and CBD-infused drinks, especially attracting the younger Gen Z crowd. This year 26% of consumers expressed interest cannabis-infused drinks, with 38% of those Gen Z and 37% millennials, up from 30% of Gen Z and 32% of millennials in 2024.
And those same Gen-Zers plan to drink even less than most Americans. Over two-thirds (65%) of Gen Z says they plan to drink less alcohol in 2025 vs. 2024, as compared to 57% of millennials, 49% of Gen-Xers and 30% of boomers that plan to cut back.