Gen Z defies 'sober generation' label, alcohol consumption picking up

The IWSR survey found that the proportion of Gen Z adults who reported consuming alcohol in the past six months rose from 66 per cent in March 2023 to 73 per cent in March 2025

For years, Gen Z has been known for embracing sobriety or drinking in moderation. But a new survey suggests that trend may be shifting. According to recent findings by the IWSR, a global firm that tracks beverage alcohol trends, Gen Z are showing renewed interest in drinking.

 

The study surveyed more than 26,000 people across 15 global markets, including India. It highlights that Gen Z legal drinking age (LDA+) consumers are now engaging with alcohol at rates approaching those of older generations. It found that the proportion of Gen Z adults who reported consuming alcohol in the past six months rose from 66 per cent in March 2023 to 73 per cent in March 2025.

 

 

While still slightly below the 78 per cent participation rate of all adults, Gen Z’s consumption behaviour now mirrors that of previous generations more closely than before. India, in particular, stands out as a key market, where younger drinkers are not only participating but also influencing the wider industry with their preferences.

 

But why were they drinking ‘less’? 

Richard Halstead, Chief Operating Officer of Consumer Insights at IWSR, said that the less drinking could have been due to the “cost-of-living” crisis.

 

“We know that beverage alcohol consumption correlates with disposable income, and Gen Z came of age during a cost-of-living crisis. Rising prices have been especially acute in bars and restaurants – places that appeal most to Gen Z drinkers,” Halstead.

 

“With every year that passes, more Gen Z consumers are entering the workforce, and those already in the workforce are typically earning more. I think we should expect that, as their incomes rise, they will drink more often – just as millennials did before them,” he said.

 

 

India bucks global alcohol slowdown 

While much of the global alcohol industry faces cyclical declines, India remains one of the few bright spots, with Gen Z playing a significant role.

“India remains the only market with all three indicators – consumer sentiment, recalled volume and recalled spend – in positive territory, as upper-middle-class consumers continue to drink and spend more,” Halstead said.

 

“The clearest signs of robust growth come from India and Brazil: India is continuing to power ahead, with that momentum set to continue and younger drinkers to the fore,” the survey mentioned.

 

Cyclical dip, not structural decline

 

It further suggests that the current downturn in consumption is temporary rather than permanent — and that generational change is not to blame. “According to this evidence, much of the recent decline is cyclical, not structural – and is definitely not the ‘fault’ of Gen Z,” Halstead said.

 

The Bevtrac survey also highlights that Gen Z drinkers are more experimental in their approach to alcohol. On average, Gen Z drinkers consumed over five beverage categories in the past six months, compared to just over four among Boomers. They are also more likely to favour spirits and visit bars, restaurants or clubs for their last drinking occasion.