Prefer to listen? Find ep. 153 wherever you get your podcasts.
Picture this: you’re scrolling through social media, and every other post is about Gen Z’s sober curious movement.
Meanwhile, you’re sat there in your 40s or 50s, wine glass in hand, wondering if you’re the only one your age questioning whether that third glass is really necessary.
Newsflash: you are absolutely not alone.
The Numbers Don’t Lie
According to data from my friends at KAM Insights, 74% of UK adults are actively moderating their alcohol consumption (and 45% of Americans believe drinking one or two alcoholic beverages per day is bad for one’s health). That’s not just twentysomethings – that’s your neighbour, your colleague, and even your mum.
The KAM Insights report revealed that alcohol consumption had declined across all age groups under 55 from 2021-2024.
However, their 2025 report showed that the over-55s have finally joined the party, with the percentage of those drinking above the recommended [UK, CMOs] 14 units a week dropping from 17% in 2024 to 13% in 2025!
We’re not just talking about a few people here and there – this is a multi-generational movement.
Why Midlife Hits Different
When I was in my twenties, my exercise was on the dance floor.
Shaking a leg until three o’clock in the morning, several nights a week, you burn a heck of a lot of calories. Not to mention, there’s little time for food or anything else, plus the quick(ish) recovery and bounce back to do it all again.
But then life happens: proper grown-up jobs, kids who demand your attention, relentless mortgage payments, pensions and tax returns. You spend more time sitting down, and it takes longer to get back up again.
Health becomes far more of an active pursuit in your maturing lifestyle as that middle-aged spread creeps in, and the muffin top eeks out.
The motivations for midlife moderators mirror those of younger generations: appearance, health, fitness, behaviour, but we add longevity and energy into the mix. Because honestly, the hangovers hit harder when you’re juggling school runs and team meetings.
The impact of a good night out isn’t the same as it was 20 years ago, and neither are the consequences.
Spending Power
The low, no and light alcohol beverage industry is a very exciting place to be at the moment. It’s full of creativity and innovation, and producers are finding (sometimes obscure) ways to solve for everything from taste to functionality to shelf-life and more.
The flip side of that, however, is that unless you’re AB InBev, Heineken or Diageo, these drinks can cost a pretty penny to produce.
Whilst Gen Z is all over your socials, shouting about this movement, financially, they’re struggling. We all know that jobs are harder to come by, and the cost of living crisis is dire.
It’s actually those in the older millennial, Gen X and now the Boomer cohort who have the financial means to support the category and allow brands to reinvest in better (and eventually cheaper) production methods.
We’re the ones willing to pay premium prices for alcohol-free sparkling wines that cost the same as full-strength versions. We’re looking for drinks that give us the experience we remember, and we’ll pay for that privilege.
We’re creatures of habit who know what we like. We want beers that taste like proper beer, spirits that don’t make us pull faces, wines that don’t taste like grape juice. We’ve spent years finding our favourites – we’re not about to settle for something that tastes like disappointment.
Even those who don’t see the value in a like-for-like pricing system will still have more disposable income to spend when they do find a product or brand that serves their wants and needs.
sparkling non-alcoholic wine at €109 a bottle. Would you?
Different Approaches, Same Goal
The way we approach moderation differs from our younger friends, too.
Those aged 35-54 are most likely to reduce the number of drinks on an occasion and drink less alcohol each time, whereas Gen Z are more likely to reduce the volume per drink through mid-strength options or zebra striping (alternating between alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks).
44% of people over 35 say that starting with a low-no drink on a night out helps them drink less overall, and another 44% say they’d stay longer in a venue if they could have a decent non-alcoholic version of their favourite drink.
The Midlife Revolution
Perhaps the biggest difference is that this is a quieter revolution for older generations. We’re not necessarily posting about our changing drinking journeys on Instagram or pointing at inspirational floating words on TikTok.
We’re more likely to consume social media than create it. But that doesn’t make our choices any less valid or impactful.
I remember being nervous about telling friends I was cutting back on booze because all of my most important relationships had been built around alcohol.
My relationship with my husband literally started with late-night rums in the basement of a bar I was running. My best friend and I bonded over excessive (but fun) partying and drunken ninja-rolls all over central London (a story for a very different time).
But when I finally started talking about it, I was surprised and delighted to find that whatever circles I moved in, I was repeatedly met with the phrase “Me too.”
You’re Never Too Old to Start
Whether you’re in your late 30s, your 40s, 50s or beyond, you are never too old to decide that you want to take a look at your relationship with alcohol and make changes for the better.
This doesn’t mean going teetotal tomorrow if that’s not what suits you.
It might just mean drinking a bit less next time you’re out. Or trying mid-strength drinks. Or zebra striping through the evening.
Whatever generation you’re in, choosing to live a life less intoxicated is not limited by the date on your birth certificate. It’s only limited by your willingness to try something different.
So here’s to all the midlife moderators out there, boldly revolutionising their relationship with alcohol. You’re not too old, and you’re definitely not alone!
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