The UK’s relationship with alcohol is changing in ways that are gradual but fundamental. What we are seeing is not a short-term reaction to initiatives like Dry January, but a deeper behavioural shift shaped by cost-of-living pressures, a growing focus on health and wellbeing, and evolving social norms. 

Over two in five UK adults (41%) say they are drinking less than they were two to three years ago, compared to 17% who report drinking more, yet this is not a story of disengagement. Nearly half (49%) still drink weekly or more, and 73% have consumed full-strength alcohol in the past six months, pointing to a market that remains active but is being approached with greater intention.