Younger people choose non-alcoholic – may depend on performance requirements – Accent

Emily Nicholls, sociologist at the University of York, has researched young people’s behavior around alcohol-free alternatives to beer, wine and spirits (so-called NOLO drinks, no-and-low-alcoholic).

– A strong reason for young people today to drink less is their focus on performance. There is a lot of pressure on them to do well with their studies and future plans and many do not think they can afford to be hungover.

In the UK more than the sales of NOLO drinks doubled between 2018 and 2023. The increase is linked, among other things, to a health trend that lives on after the corona pandemic, an increased desire to reduce the risk of diseases and maintain weight, and that more young people drink less.

According to Nicholls, there is a wider cultural change in the meaning of alcohol as a social symbol. While older generations often see it as a product of pleasure and relaxation, today’s youth see the risks and negative mental and physical effects alcohol consumption can have.

– So for many young people, choosing NOLO becomes a way to fit into what we call “wet spaces”, such as university campuses or bars, but without a hangover or having to be asked why you abstain from alcohol.

A risk she sees with the drinks becoming more common is that they can become a gateway for younger people to alcoholic drinks.

– If they get to taste NOLO drinks from their parents, for example, it can lead to them getting used to the smell, taste and presence of alcohol. It can also lead to brand loyalty, where they might start by drinking, say, Heineken Zero, and then move on to drinking the alcoholic version of Heineken.

Another problemshe believes, is that NOLO consumption does not challenge norms around alcohol consumption.

– Some sober people I have interviewed in my research have felt rebellious when they choose a cola or soft drink. But NOLO signals that you have to drink something that looks and tastes like alcohol to be accepted in certain places.

She also points out that there is a younger generation that is not at all interested in NOLO drinks because they have never drunk alcohol.

– I think we are seeing the emergence of a group that will never start drinking. NOLO drinks are quite expensive, and I think a lot of people are unwilling and uninterested to pay a lot for something that tastes like beer when they’ve never had beer.