Recent reports have been quite contradictory on Gen Z’s drinking habits. Some seem to say that they are the generation that has drunk the least, whilst others have said they are just about in line with the average. Are they actually drinking less? And if they are, why?

It is important to consider that many Gen Z surveys about drinking habits are either based on self-reported data (people historically tend to underreport how much they drink) or still contain a decent fraction of the population that is under the legal drinking age. Nonetheless, trends have been observed in recent months suggesting that Gen Z approaches drinking differently from previous generations. It seems there is much more variance in habits, since up to 24% of people in the 21-to-27 age range do not even drink at all, whereas within the stratum of people that do drink, home alcohol consumption has risen from 42% to 64% YoY (could this be attributed to high prices at bars or just the reduced number of social events?). Other trends that are observed are the acknowledged health risks associated with drinking, instead of it being a social prerequisite. Indications of this may be the sharp rise in non-alcoholic beer sales and “virgin” cocktails (which some may consider are overpriced juice… but that is a different discussion).

If many in Gen Z are not drinking at all, do those that do drink match older generations? Well, citing UCL (https://cls.ucl.ac.uk/substance-use-on-the-rise-among-gen-z-in-their-early-20s/), binge drinking is more common among Gen Z, with a reported 29% reporting at least 6 drinks in one sitting on a night out, compared to 25% for millennials. More interestingly, and perhaps one of the direct substitutions for drinking, is the rise of cannabis and gambling use (which are both able to dry up people’s wallets, with the latter more so). Vapes and edibles have also been popular, with most marketing targeted at Gen Z. Possible reasons for substitutions could be the rising legalization of cannabis, or perhaps just sheer drinking prices and the will to not be hungover the next day. Nevertheless, it is still unclear whether these habits are worse than just “regular” drinking, with cannabis studies showing less addiction potential but more long-term health risks.

One interesting distinction from other generations is Gen Z’s fast adoption of “RTD” (ready-to-drink) cans and seltzers (think of those colored tennis-ball-shaped cans: Buzzballz). Classic and expensive wines are not as popular, as they are perhaps considered less “fun” and more “adult” drinks of their boomer parents. It is safe to say that Gen Z are still drinking, although in a different way from previous generations. Alcohol, for better or for worse, is still a social lubricant and a staple at social events. Its portrayal in media and film is still very much present, although a clear line between who drinks and who does not is being drawn.