US millennials are driving the non-alc trend

Consumption of non-alcoholic beverages among US drinkers has doubled since April 2023, according to IWSR data. But what makes Millennials the perfect target? Greater product availability is boosting momentum for non-alcoholic drinks, particularly in retail. “The no-alcohol category as a whole is gaining popularity amongst drinkers in the US, with participation rates doubling since April 2023 – and much of this increase is being driven by Millennials,” explains Nastya Timofeeva, Bevtrac senior insights manager, IWSR. Volume consumption of non-alcoholic drinks grew 20% in 2023, with a forecast volume CAGR of +17%, 2023-28. Millennials are key to the category’s success. In April 2023, 45% of non-alcoholic beer consumers in the US were Millennials; by April 2024, that figure had risen to 61% – far ahead of Gen X at 22% and legal aged Gen Z at only 7%. Similar participation rates are reported for no-alcohol spirits (66% of consumers are Millennials) and no-alcohol wine (59%). ...