14/07/2026

Increased Gen Z drinking sustained, Boomers drinking moderates

Millennials still drink more than any other generation, followed by Gen X

14 July 2026 (London) According to IWSR’s twice yearly Bevtrac survey of consumer behaviour, the drinking rate among Gen Z legal drinking age (LDA+) consumers across fifteen key markets has stabilised at 74%. This rate, up from 66% three years ago, is now nearly identical to the total adult population drinking rate of 76%.

Boomers, meanwhile, registered significant declines across all consumption metrics, and now have the lowest drinking rate of any generation at just 71% (a decline of two percentage points compared to three years ago). Boomers also reported the smallest number of drinking occasions of any generational cohort and reported consuming the smallest number of drinks when they do drink (an average of 2.6 drinks per occasion).

Millennials reported the highest beverage alcohol participation rate of any generation at 81%, while Gen X ranked second highest with an average of 77%.

Gen Z influence is reshaping the beverage alcohol industry

While its participation rate is normalising, Gen Z LDA+ drinking habits are distinct from previous generations.

• More Gen Z LDA+ drinkers reported drinking cocktails in the past six months than any other generation (84%).
• Gen Z LDA+ drinkers are the most likely to heed government health guidance on alcohol (49%).
• Gen Z LDA+ drinkers were the most likely to report drinking beverage alcohol with five or more people on their last occasion (18%).

Gen Z LDA+ currently account for 17% of the total drinking population. This figure is expected to grow as more reach legal drinking age and the participation rate holds steady in the mid-seventies percentage range.

Moderation is now firmly embedded in society

Actively choosing to drink slightly less has become the default position for the majority of drinkers in every market surveyed (the only exception was China which saw only moderate gains).

Overall participation rates in beverage alcohol across all markets surveyed remain consistent (76% as opposed to 75% three years ago). Meaningful declines were registered in the frequency of occasions for drinking beverage alcohol and the amount consumed on each occasion (3.9 drinks per occasion, down from 4.4 drinks per occasion reported in 2024 and 2025).

These latest results suggest this behaviour has become a structural rather than a cyclical change as lifestyle choice and health reasons become more important for more consumers.

National market highlights

In the US, the overall beverage alcohol participation rate remained unchanged at 70%. Participation among the Gen Z LDA+ population climbed slightly to 71% (up from 68% two years ago).

In the UK, the overall beverage alcohol participation rate was 82% (not significantly different from three years ago). Participation among the Gen Z LDA+ population rose to 76% (up from 66% three years ago).

In India, the beverage alcohol participation rate among high income earners in urban populations was 77% (up substantially from 67% three years ago). Participation among Gen Z adults over 21 in the same demographic was 80% (up significantly from 60% three years ago).

In China, the beverage alcohol participation rate among high income earners in urban populations age 18-64 was 89% (up from 86% three years ago). Participation among Gen Z adults age 18+ from the same demographic was 85% (unchanged from three years ago).

Commentary from Marten Lodewijks

Speaking about the latest Bevtrac survey, IWSR President and Managing Director Marten Lodewijks said, “The narrative that Gen Z is the generation of moderation is now conclusively debunked. While Gen Z consumers are creating new patterns for engaging with beverage alcohol, the evidence demonstrates that Gen Z consumers enjoy drinking at roughly the same levels as the rest of society.

“Boomer drinking has been tailing off for several years. This is typical for consumers as they reach their 60s and 70s. These latest Bevtrac results, however, show bigger than expected drops in Boomer drinking across all major metrics. If this trend continues, it may actually be the Boomers, not Gen Z, who deserve the title ‘generation of moderation.’

“This latest Bevtrac survey also reveals how moderation is taking place across all generations. The number of people drinking remains consistent, but the frequency with which we drink and the amount we drink per occasion is dropping. This is almost certainly down in part to continued economic uncertainty, but there is growing evidence that where incomes are rising, beverage alcohol consumption does not keep pace. The moderation trend increasingly appears to be driven by lifestyle choices, resulting in a structural, rather than cyclical, change.”

About the IWSR Bevtrac survey

Conducted twice yearly, the IWSR Bevtrac survey is the beverage alcohol industry’s premier source for self-reported consumer data. First conducted in H1 2023, the H1 2026 survey is the seventh survey in the series.

For H1 2026, the survey included a total sample of n > 32,000 qualified respondents spread across 19 markets. This included respondents from the 15 markets polled in previous surveys (Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Mexico, South Africa, Spain, Taiwan, the US, and the US), as well as respondents from 4 new markets: Nigeria, South Korea, Thailand and Vietnam. Respondents in India and China were limited to higher income earners living in urban areas. Please note, for fair comparison the data in this press release only includes the original 15 markets.

For the H1 2026 survey, generation cohort ages are: Gen Z (LDA−28), Millennials (29−44), Gen X (45−60), Boomers (61+).

Notes to Journalists

Where appropriate, please cite “IWSR, the global leader in beverage alcohol data and insights.”

For questions or interview requests, please contact:

Ned Vaught

ned.vaught@theiwsr.com

+44 (0) 7969 794568

Press contact: press@theiwsr.com
Other enquiries: enquiries@theiwsr.com

About IWSR
For over 50 years, IWSR has been trusted by the leaders of global beverage alcohol businesses as an integral part of their strategic planning and decision-making processes. We uniquely combine our proprietary longitudinal market data, consumer insights and AI-enhanced data science, with valuable on-the-ground human intelligence in over 160 markets worldwide, to decipher what is really happening in the global beverage alcohol market. With access to our data, clients from across the drinks industry, including multinational spirits, beer, and wine businesses; packaging and ingredient manufacturers; distributors; and financial institutions, plan their strategies and future investment with a reliable, consistent and complete understanding of the global landscape.