Is 'Coasting' the Ideal Approach to Savor an Alcoholic Drink This New Year's Eve?
Christmas and New Year's Eve festivities often used to lead to a morning-after regret, but with moderation now the new norm, the new drinks industry popular phrase is “coasting”.
This entails choosing a white wine, lager, or even a cocktail that is roughly 50% the alcohol content of the traditional version – so you can consume the same number of drinks without experiencing the after-effects.
The Emergence of Lower-ABV Choices
As the name implies, “mid-strength” drinks occupy the sweet spot between no and low-alcohol (nolo) and full-strength options. While there is no firm industry guideline yet, typical ABVs are:
- Beers and ciders: About 2-3% alcohol by volume.
- Wines: Ranging from 3-9% alcohol by volume.
- Spirits: Generally 15-20% alcohol by volume.
This emergence of coasting aligns with data showing Britons drinking less alcohol in the past. The typical UK adult consumed approximately 10.2 alcoholic drinks a week in 2024.
This is the lowest figure ever since records began in 1990 and is down from a peak of 14 weekly drinks two decades ago. Interestingly total teetotalism is not increasing, which suggests more moderate drinking habits are behind this change.
Changing Habits and Consumer Demand
Major supermarkets are catering to the country's evolving drinking culture by carrying more mid-strength brands. These include options like a pink wine at 9%, a white wine at 3.4%, and a spirit at 15%, alongside nolo alternatives.
Online searches for nolo brands surged in the run-up to the festive period. Popular in-demand items have featured UK-made non-alcoholic aperitifs inspired by Italian classics, as well as a fiery ginger aperitif. There is also considerable interest around a new brew launched by a well-known actor.
“Shoppers still want big flavours from nolo drinks,” commented an industry expert. “They want more than just spirit substitutes.”
Sales of non-alcoholic cocktails and wines in cans are also described as “flourishing,” leading to additional product listings on shelves to satisfy this growing appetite.
Wider Push and Drinker Behaviors
To make mid-strength drinking “mainstream,” a alliance of focused drinks brands has created a “group”.
A survey of drinking habits found that:
- 21% of consumers are continuing to consume alcohol but having less overall.
- 13% actively “coast” through their evenings.
- 6% practice “alternating” – switching between alcoholic, mid-strength, and alcohol-free drinks during the same occasion.
“The way consumers approach alcohol is transforming,” observed a strategy insight director. “While some are opting for alcohol-free alternatives, a expanding segment is turning to mid-strength alcohol as the ideal compromise.”
This approach is seen as allowing them to lengthen their evenings without sacrificing on flavor, quality, and the social ritual.
