Is 'Coasting' the Ideal Method to Savor an Alcoholic Drink This New Year's Eve?
Christmas and New Year's Eve festivities traditionally would result in a next-day headache, but with temperance now the order of the day, the emerging beverage sector buzzword is “coasting”.
This entails choosing a white wine, lager, or even a cocktail that is approximately half the alcohol content of the traditional version – so you can consume the identical quantity of drinks without suffering the negative effects.
The Emergence of Mid-Strength Options
By definition, “mid-strength” drinks occupy the middle ground between alcohol-free and low-ABV and regular options. While an official industry standard yet, typical ranges are:
- Beers and ciders: Approximately 2-3% alcohol by volume.
- Wines: Usually 3-9% alcohol by volume.
- Spirits: Generally 15-20% alcohol by volume.
This advent of coasting chimes with data showing Britons consuming less alcohol than before. The average UK adult drank approximately 10.2 alcoholic drinks a week in 2024.
This marks the smallest amount since data collection began in 1990 and is a decrease from a peak of 14 weekly drinks two decades ago. Interestingly total abstention is not increasing, which implies more moderate drinking habits are fueling this change.
Evolving Drinking Culture and Consumer Response
Major supermarkets are tapping into the country's changing drinking culture by stocking more mid-strength brands. These include options like a pink wine at 9%, a white wine at 3.4%, and a gin at 15%, alongside nolo alternatives.
Web searches for nolo brands spiked ahead of the holidays. Popular queries have included British non-alcoholic aperitifs inspired by Italian classics, as well as a spicy ginger drink. There is also notable interest around a new beer brand co-founded by a famous actor.
“Shoppers still want robust taste from nolo drinks,” said an industry expert. “They want more than just gin alternatives.”
Sales of non-alcoholic cocktails and wines in cans are also reportedly “thriving,” leading to new product listings on shelves to cater to this growing appetite.
The Mainstream Move and Consumer Habits
To make mid-strength drinking “mainstream,” a alliance of focused drinks brands has established a “alliance”.
A poll of drinking habits found that:
- 21% of consumers are still drinking alcohol but having a reduced amount in total.
- 13% actively “coast” through their nights out.
- 6% practice “zebra striping” – switching between alcoholic, mid-strength, and alcohol-free drinks during the same occasion.
“The way consumers engage with alcohol is evolving,” stated a strategy insight director. “While some are choosing alcohol-free alternatives, a increasing segment is turning to mid-strength alcohol as the perfect balance.”
This approach is suggested to be allowing them to extend their social experiences without sacrificing on taste, enjoyment, and overall experience.
