More young people in England are choosing not to drink alcohol
15 Oct 2018 --- Young people in England are not just drinking less alcohol, an increasing number is never taking up alcohol at all, according to a study published in BMC Public Health. The uptake in non-drinkers could bode well for new product development in the area of low or non-alcoholic offerings, such as kombucha.
Using data from the annual Health Survey for England, researchers at University College London analyzed the proportion of non-drinkers among social demographic and health sub-groups, along with alcohol units consumed by those that did drink and levels of binge drinking.
The proportion of 16-24-year-olds who do not consume alcohol has increased from 18 percent in 2005 to 29 percent in 2015, they found.
This trend is primarily due to an increasing number of people who had never been drinkers, from 9 percent in 2005 to 17 percent in 2015, the researchers found.
Significant decreases were also seen in the number of young people who drank above-recommended limits (from 43 percent to 28 percent) or who binge drank (27 percent to 18 percent). More young people were also engaging in weekly abstinence (from 35 percent to 50 percent).
According to the study’s findings, the most significant linear increases in non-drinking were among most sub-groups, including healthier sub-groups (non-smokers, those with high physical activity and good mental health), white ethnicity, in both north and south regions. Significant increases in non-drinkers were also found among those in full-time education and employment.
That the increase in non-drinking was found across many different groups may be a sign that non-drinking is becoming more mainstream among young people, which could be caused by cultural factors, according to Dr. Linda Ng Fat, corresponding author of the study.
“Increases in non-drinking among young people were found across a broad range of groups, including those living in northern or southern regions of England, among the white population, those in full-time education, in employment and across all social classes and healthier groups,” says Dr. Ng Fat.
“These trends are to be welcomed from a public-health standpoint. Factors influencing the shift away from drinking should be capitalized on going forward to ensure that healthier drinking behaviors in young people continue to be encouraged,” says Dr. Ng Fat.
“The increase in young people who choose not to drink alcohol suggests that this behavior may be becoming more acceptable, whereas risky behaviors such as binge drinking may be becoming less normalized,” Dr. Linda Ng Fat adds.
However, no significant increases in non-drinking were found among smokers, ethnic minorities and those with poor mental health, suggesting that the risky behaviors of smoking and alcohol continue to cluster.
Although the findings are striking, the authors caution that the cross-sectional, observational nature of this study does not allow for conclusions about cause and effect.
with brands such as Gusto launching new options featuring sophisticated
flavor combinations such as the ones presented above,
at Natural and Organic Products Europe held in London in April.
Lighter choices
Food and beverage NPD is taking into account the growing preference for beverages with a lighter or no alcoholic content.
As part of its “Lighter choices” 2018 trend reporting, Innova Market Insights has noted that although light alcoholic drinks have been around for quite some time, they have now surged as younger drinkers change their priorities on a night out.
Big brands have adapted their marketing of light drinks towards the more mainstream consumer, focusing on enjoyment without having the worry about the consequences. By targeting late Millennials and young professionals, there has been a strong increase in the prevalence of low alcoholic drinks. Trending beverage options such as kombucha, fermented, lightly effervescent black or green tea drinks, are increasingly finding their way into pubs and bars, as an alternative to the usual alcoholic offerings.
Non-alcoholic beverages with craft appeal and health benefits were prominently on display at UK food and beverage shows such as FoodEx and Natural and Organic Products Europe this year.
“There is now a bigger need for non-alcoholic beverages as consumers are becoming increasingly aware of what they are consuming, so there is a bigger need for these types of sophisticated adult soft drinks and fashions that offer new taste sensations and experiences,” Mike Moore, Head of UK Sales and Marketing at beverage company Folkington, told NutritionInsight’s sister webpage, FoodIngredientsFirst.
