Thirst games

By: Trademagazin editor Date: 2025. 08. 26. 19:02

This article is available for reading in Trade magazin 2025/8-9.

Moderation is playing an important role in reducing alcohol consumption and related spending all over the world. According to an IWSR Bevtrac study from March 2025, the majority of the 15 largest markets are showing a negative trend in alcohol spending.

Based on data from the IWSR No/Low Alcohol Strategic Study, per capita consumption of pure alcohol has declined by 20% since 2000. Moderation is evident across all age groups, but most notably among younger consumers: 75% of Generation Z respondents and 74% of Generation Y said they had moderated their alcohol consumption in the past six months, compared with 66% of Generation X and 55% of baby boomers.

Generation Z isn’t a generation of moderation – quite the contrary!

Although the global alcohol market has been characterised by a moderation trend in recent years, IWSR’s Bevtrac survey from June 2025 sheds new light on the role of the youngest generation of legal alcohol consumers. The study has found that members of Generation Z aren’t avoiding alcohol at all and in many ways they are turning away from moderation. The explanation: as Generation Z is entering the labour market and its disposable income is growing, the alcohol consumption of this age group is increasing.