It is now February, which means the end of Dry January 2021: the perfect time to take stock and understand the changes in alcohol consumption behaviour.
As a reminder, Dry January is the challenge that has been launched in England in recent years: the aim is to remain alcohol-free throughout the month of January. This event is becoming more and more popular with each edition. This year in particular, with the closure of bars and restaurants, the number of participants has risen sharply.
According to a Yougov survey, a quarter of French people, who usually drink alcohol, participated in the 2021 edition. On the other side of the Channel, in its country of origin, Dry January won over 6.5 million English people, an increase of more than 60% in the number of participants compared to 2020.
French people have an excellent opinion of this challenge. The reasons for their participation are very diverse: almost half of the participants do it to cancel the excesses of the Christmas and New Year celebrations, a quarter to save money and others to lose weight. Whether in France or in England, many participants took advantage of this month of abstinence to taste alcohol-free alternatives to beer, wine and spirits. The recent IWSR study shows that 64% of those surveyed said they intend to continue discovering new brands of non-alcoholic drinks.
Given the success of Dry January, it is easy to understand why manufacturers are increasing the number of alcohol-free innovations. Among them, Virgin Desperado beer, Peroni 0.0 and Nolow Spirit Free were launched during the event. The alcohol-free market has been boiling over in recent months, particularly in France where 52% of 18-34 year olds say they want to reduce their alcohol consumption. So it comes as no surprise when the IWSR study announces a 34% growth in the alcohol-free market between now and 2024.