02-07-2025
Gen Z Is Drinking More Alcohol
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
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Gen Zers have long been known for their abstinence from alcohol and drugs as they focus on health, wellness and self-care.
But the tide might be changing as a new survey from IWSR Bevtrac found that Gen Z's drinking has increased, putting its alcohol consumption in line with that of other generations.
Why It Matters
There has long been talk of a generational shift in attitudes toward drugs and alcohol. In December, researchers from the University of Michigan found that the percentage of students abstaining from drugs had hit record levels. A July 2024 study found that 64 percent of legal-drinking-age Gen Zers in the United States said they had not consumed alcohol in the six months leading up to May. An August Gallup study also found that 65 percent of adults under 35 viewed alcohol as unhealthy.
A Russian River Brewing Company customer sipping the newly released Pliny the Younger triple IPA beer in Santa Rosa, California, on February 7, 2014.
A Russian River Brewing Company customer sipping the newly released Pliny the Younger triple IPA beer in Santa Rosa, California, on February 7, To Know
The Bevtrac survey, which covered 15 markets, found that the proportion of Gen Z adults of legal drinking age who said they had consumed alcohol in the past six months had risen from 66 percent in March 2023 to 73 percent in March 2025.
In the U.S. specifically, the swing was more pronounced, rising from 46 percent to 70 percent.
The survey also found that Gen Z drinkers were more likely to drink spirits and more likely to drink from a wider variety of alcoholic beverages.
Additionally, Gen Z drinkers are more likely to drink in bars, restaurants or clubs than other adult drinkers. Almost half of Gen Z drinkers reported that a trade venue was their last drinking location, while just over a third of adult drinkers reported this.
When asked to agree or disagree with the statement "I am actively choosing to drink more," Gen Z drinkers were the most likely demographic to answer in the affirmative.
The consumer insights from Bevtrac are from a twice-yearly quantitative survey of more than 26,000 respondents across 15 global markets: Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Germany, France, India, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Spain, South Africa, Taiwan, the U.K. and the U.S.
What People Are Saying
Richard Halstead, IWSR's chief operating officer of consumer insights, said in a news release: "Moderation has been a growing trend among all drinkers for several years, but the idea that Gen Z [legal drinking age] drinkers are somehow fundamentally different from other age groups isn't supported by the evidence. For instance, we know that beverage alcohol consumption correlates with disposable income, and Gen Z came of age during a cost-of-living crisis. Rising prices have been especially acute in bars and restaurants—places that appeal most to Gen Z drinkers."
What Happens Next
It remains to be seen whether the upward trend of alcohol consumption will continue for Gen Zers as they age.
