By Emma Leggio
Recent studies have determined that Gen Z in the UK are currently drinking 20% less than millennials did at the same age. Not entirely unique to the UK, this trend is recurrent across the Western world, with countries like France and the US also noting this dramatic decline. Nonetheless, given the distinctly important cultural and economic role alcohol industry plays in the UK – providing hundreds of thousands of jobs and accounting for 2.5% of GDP – in a British context the trend is particularly notable. While research suggests there are a number of contributing factors, from economic downturn to shifting cultural norms, data indicates that the shift may be more than just fleeting. A sober British youth might be the new normal.
The UK’s consumption of alcohol, in general, has been falling since reaching its peak in the mid-2000s, from 2011 to 2022 the proportion of adults consuming at least one drink a week dropped from 54% to 48%, a trend predominantly present amongst young people. One obvious reason behind the decreased consumption of alcohol amongst young people is an economic one- that it is simply becoming too expensive. With the cost-of-living crisis heavily impacting the lives of students, more young people are deciding not to spend their money on alcohol. A study conducted by the Office for National Statistics revealed that 58% of students found their loans do not cover living costs and 65% having to cut back on food and other essential spending. Hand in hand with this, go the various initiatives from Westminster and its devolved governments to discourage drinking. In April 2024, Scotland tightened already strict alcohol laws, increasing minimum unit pricing from 50 to 65 pence. Additionally, in recent weeks the Chancellor of the Exchequer’s Spring Budget saw an increase of alcohol tax by 3.6% in line with inflation. This combination of government public health initiatives and hard times economically has contributed to the general reduction in accessibility of alcohol, especially amongst young people.
More than this though, broader cultural transformations have led to increased sobriety. As NYU’s Professor Galloway notes, the West as a whole is “undergoing a structural shift away from alcohol as entertainment, social lubricant, self-medicament, or ritual.” This is supported by the BCM’s study which emphasises young people’s prioritisation of health-consciousness and risk aversion. With the rise of social media, information about the health risks of alcohol consumption is much more readily available than it used to be, leading to greater awareness amongst young people, in turn, dissuading them from drinking. This, in conjunction with the increasing popularity of wellness and health, with 73% of consumers in the UK prioritising wellness in their everyday lives, and trends such as Dry January skyrocketing in popularity. Social media has similarly elicited alcohol-related fear with the newfound threat of the digital footprint. Studies suggest that some students are less inclined to drink for fear of being recorded and posted inappropriately on public social media channels. With the cost-of-living crisis and the high demand for, but low availability of jobs, students have started to prioritise studying as a way to assure future economic stability and as such tend to go out less.
Although the overall trend of alcohol use decreasing is a positive sign for the health of the young generation, studies have shown that there is a shift from alcohol to stronger substances. While alcohol use is on a downward trajectory, cannabis use has remained roughly the same for the past few years in the UK and the use of Class A, B and C drugs increased from 22% to 33% of 16-25 year olds in 2022. Again this shift may evidence the financial burden on young people in the UK, turning to harder substances which can be seen as more cost effective intoxicants.
While the health-based effects of this anti-alcohol trend may be as yet inconclusive, immediate economic impacts are more tangible. One major consequence of this trend is on pubs as owners struggle to keep their venues open due to the decrease in consumption and increase in costs. In England and Wales during the first half of 2024, 50 pubs closed permanently per month, a number only expected to rise. This decrease in consumption of alcohol amongst young people is not unbeknownst to alcohol companies either, as brands scramble to produce “No-Lo” alcohol alternatives, an industry that is booming in popularity, as shown by a report from the IWSR. While traditionally popular opinion considered university as a time for hedonistic drinking and partying, these studies suggest that attitudes and circumstances are changing, and we may be witnessing the end of student drinking culture as we know it.
The views expressed in this article are the author’s own, and may not reflect the opinions of The St Andrews Economist.
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