Increased Gen Z Drinking Sustained, Boomers' Drinking Moderates

The drinking rate among Gen Z legal drinking age (LDA+) consumers across 15 key markets has stabilized at 74%. This rate, up from 66% three years ago, is now nearly identical to the total adult population drinking rate of 76%.

That's according to IWSR’s twice-yearly Bevtrac survey of consumer behavior.

In the US, the overall beverage alcohol participation rate remained unchanged at 70%. Participation among the Gen Z LDA+ population climbed slightly to 71% (up from 68% two years ago).

“The narrative that Gen Z is the generation of moderation is now conclusively debunked," IWSR President/Managing Director Marten Lodewijks said. "While Gen Z consumers are creating new patterns for engaging with beverage alcohol, the evidence demonstrates that Gen Z consumers enjoy drinking at roughly the same levels as the rest of society.

"Boomers registered significant declines across all consumption metrics and now have the lowest drinking rate of any generation at just 71% (a decline of two percentage points compared to three years ago)," Lodewijks said. "Boomers also reported the smallest number of drinking occasions of any generational cohort and reported consuming the smallest number of drinks when they do drink (an average of 2.6 drinks per occasion)."

“Boomer drinking has been tailing off for several years. This is typical for consumers as they reach their 60s and 70s. These latest Bevtrac results, however, show bigger-than-expected drops in Boomer drinking across all major metrics. If this trend continues, it may actually be the Boomers, not Gen Z, who deserve the title ‘generation of moderation.’

Millennials reported the highest beverage alcohol participation rate of any generation at 81%, while Gen X ranked second highest with an average of 77%.

Gen Z influence is reshaping the beverage alcohol industry

While its participation rate is normalising, Gen Z LDA+ drinking habits are distinct from previous generations.

• More Gen Z LDA+ drinkers reported drinking cocktails in the past six months than any other generation (84%).
• Gen Z LDA+ drinkers are the most likely to heed government health guidance on alcohol (49%).
• Gen Z LDA+ drinkers were the most likely to report drinking beverage alcohol with five or more people on their last occasion (18%).

Gen Z LDA+ currently accounts for 17% of the total drinking population. This figure is expected to grow as more reach legal drinking age and the participation rate holds steady in the mid-seventies percentage range.

Moderation is now firmly embedded in society

Actively choosing to drink slightly less has become the default position for the majority of drinkers in every market surveyed (the only exception was China which saw only moderate gains).

Overall participation rates in beverage alcohol across all markets surveyed remain consistent (76% as opposed to 75% three years ago). Meaningful declines were registered in the frequency of occasions for drinking beverage alcohol and the amount consumed on each occasion (3.9 drinks per occasion, down from 4.4 drinks per occasion reported in 2024 and 2025).

“This latest Bevtrac survey also reveals how moderation is taking place across all generations. The number of people drinking remains consistent, but the frequency with which we drink and the amount we drink per occasion is dropping," Lodewijks said.

"This is almost certainly down in part to continued economic uncertainty, but there is growing evidence that where incomes are rising, beverage alcohol consumption does not keep pace.

"The moderation trend increasingly appears to be driven by lifestyle choices, resulting in a structural, rather than cyclical, change.” he noted, adding:

"These latest results suggest this behaviour has become a structural rather than a cyclical change as lifestyle choice and health reasons become more important for more consumers," Lodewijks said.

National market highlights

In the UK, the overall beverage alcohol participation rate was 82% (not significantly different from three years ago). Participation among the Gen Z LDA+ population rose to 76% (up from 66% three years ago).

In India, the beverage alcohol participation rate among high income earners in urban populations was 77% (up substantially from 67% three years ago). Participation among Gen Z adults over 21 in the same demographic was 80% (up significantly from 60% three years ago).

In China, the beverage alcohol participation rate among high income earners in urban populations age 18-64 was 89% (up from 86% three years ago). Participation among Gen Z adults age 18+ from the same demographic was 85% (unchanged from three years ago).

Commentary from Marten Lodewijks