Could 'Coasting' this Ideal Approach to Savor an Alcoholic Drink This New Year's Eve?

Christmas and New Year's Eve gatherings traditionally would lead to a morning-after regret, but with moderation now the prevailing trend, the emerging beverage sector popular phrase is “coasting”.

This entails selecting a white wine, lager, or even a cocktail that is roughly 50% the strength of the regular version – so you can have the equivalent amount of drinks without experiencing the after-effects.

The Growth of Mid-Strength Choices

True to its name, “mid-strength” drinks take up the middle ground between no and low-alcohol (nolo) and regular options. While an official industry standard yet, typical ABVs are:

• Beers and ciders: About 2-3% alcohol by volume.
• Wines: Typically 3-9% alcohol by volume.
• Spirits: Generally 15-20% alcohol by volume.

This rise of coasting aligns with data showing people in Britain drinking less alcohol in the past. The average UK adult consumed approximately 10.2 alcoholic drinks a week in 2024.

This represents the lowest figure ever since data collection began in 1990 and is lower than a peak of 14 weekly drinks two decades ago. Notably total abstention is not increasing, which suggests more cautious drinking habits are behind this shift.

Shifting Habits and Consumer Response

Major supermarkets are catering to the country's evolving drinking culture by stocking more mid-strength brands. These include options like a rosé 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 searches have featured British non-alcoholic aperitifs modeled on Italian classics, as well as a spicy ginger aperitif. There is also notable interest around a new beer brand co-founded by a famous actor.

“People still want full-bodied experiences from nolo drinks,” commented an industry buyer. “They want options beyond just gin alternatives.”

Sales of alcohol-free cocktails and wines in cans are also described as “flourishing,” leading to additional product ranges on shelves to satisfy this growing appetite.

Wider Move and Consumer Habits

To make mid-strength drinking “the norm,” a coalition of focused drinks brands has formed a “mid-strength collective”.

A survey of drinking habits showed that:

1. 21% of consumers are continuing to consume alcohol but having fewer drinks per occasion.
2. 13% regularly “coast” through their nights out.
3. 6% practice “alternating” – rotating between alcoholic, mid-strength, and alcohol-free drinks within the same gathering.

“The way consumers approach alcohol is changing,” observed a consumer insight director. “While some are opting for alcohol-free alternatives, a increasing segment is turning to mid-strength alcohol as the perfect balance.”

This approach is suggested to be enabling them to extend their evenings without sacrificing on taste, quality, and the social ritual.