No longer sober: Gen Z has become a boozy generation— this is to blame, study says
Zoomers have historically been labeled a fairly abstinent generation. But now, the generation born between 1997 and 2012 are bucking their party pooper stereotype by increasing their alcohol consumption as cost of living pressures ease, per a buzzy study by global beverage market research firm IWSR Bevtrac.
'The idea that Gen Z LDA+ (legal drinking age) drinkers are choosing to moderate significantly more than other generations doesn't hold up,' Richard Halstead, IWSR's chief operating officer of consumer insights, told Newsweek.
This shocking study contrasts with prior data over the past several years, which found that Gen Z was drinking far less alcohol than previous generations. Their Z-totalling ways famously prompted an increase in sober gatherings and alcohol-free bars across New York City.
Zoomer boozers were more likely to imbibe spirits, consume a wider variety of alcoholic beverages, and also drink at bars, restaurants or clubs than the other generations.
Jacob Lund – stock.adobe.com
To determine the rates of hooch intake across generations, the researchers surveyed more than 26,000 people across the 15 biggest alcoholic drink markets: Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Germany, France, India, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Spain, South Africa, Taiwan, the UK and the US.
The survey found that 73% of Gen Zers aged 21-27 had admitted to consuming alcohol in the past six months, compared to 66% two years prior — the biggest increase of any generation, The Financial Times reported. This uptick was magnified in the US, soaring from 46% to 70%.
'The idea that Gen Z LDA+ (legal drinking age) drinkers are choosing to moderate significantly more than other generations doesn't hold up,' Richard Halstead, IWSR's chief operating officer of consumer insights
Ðвгений ÐеÑÑинин – stock.adobe.com
What prompted Gen Z's increased fascination with libations? Halstead claimed that Zoomers didn't suddenly acquire the taste, but rather they now have more disposable income to burn on booze than in years prior — when they were more cash-strapped due to inflation and the fact that fewer were employed.
'We know that beverage alcohol consumption correlates with disposable income, and Gen Z came of age during a cost-of-living crisis, he explained, per the Times Of London. 'Rising prices have been especially acute in bars and restaurants — places that appeal most to Gen Z drinkers.'
Halstead added, 'With every year that passes, more Gen Z drinkers are entering the workforce, and those already in the workforce are typically earning more.'
That being said, 20-somethings remain marginally less likely to drink than most other generations.
By contrast, the so-called booziest generation, the Baby Boomers, appear to be cutting back. The proportion of 60-and-over respondents who admitted to consuming booze over the past six months dropped to 72% — a one percent decrease from two years ago.
In addition, Zoomer boozers were more likely to imbibe spirits, consume a wider variety of alcoholic beverages, and also drink at bars, restaurants or clubs than the other generations.
According to the study, millennials — those aged between 28 and 44 — were the most likely to booze with 83% admitting to touching the bubbly over the past half-year. Gen Xers — those born between 1965 and 1980 — came in second at 79%.
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