Gen Z now drinks at nearly the same rate as older adults, survey finds

New consumer research from IWSR is challenging a common assumption in the alcohol business: Generation Z is not stepping away from drinking at the rate many in the industry had expected. According to the latest edition of the group’s twice-yearly Bevtrac survey, 74% of legal-drinking-age Gen Z consumers across 15 key markets now drink alcohol, nearly matching the overall adult participation rate of 76%.

The figure is up from 66% three years ago, suggesting that alcohol participation among young adults has moved closer to the broader drinking population. The findings were published Tuesday by The Drinks Business, citing new data from the global drinks analyst.

Marten Lodewijks, IWSR’s president and managing director, said the idea that Gen Z is defined mainly by moderation no longer fits the evidence. He said younger consumers are developing different ways of engaging with beverage alcohol, but that their overall participation now sits at roughly the same level as the rest of society.

The survey points instead to Baby Boomers as the generation drinking least. IWSR found Boomers had the lowest participation rate of any age group at 71%, down 2 percentage points over the past three years. They also reported the fewest drinking occasions and the lowest number of drinks per session, averaging 2.6 drinks.

Millennials remained the highest-participation group in the survey at 81%, followed by Generation X at 77%. Lodewijks said Boomer drinking has been declining for several years and that the latest results showed larger-than-expected drops across major measures.

Even as Gen Z participation rises, IWSR said younger drinkers still behave differently from older generations. In the past six months, 84% of Gen Z consumers reported drinking cocktails, more than any other age group in the survey. They were also the most likely to say they follow government health guidance on alcohol consumption, with 49% saying they pay attention to official advice.

The research also found that Gen Z was more likely to drink in larger social settings. Some 18% said their most recent drinking occasion involved five or more people.

At the same time, IWSR said moderation is becoming more established across all generations, not just among younger adults. Across the surveyed markets, drinkers reported consuming alcohol less often and having fewer beverages on each occasion. Average consumption fell to 3.9 drinks per occasion, down from 4.4 in earlier surveys.

Lodewijks said that pattern appears to reflect a longer-term lifestyle shift rather than a short-term reaction to economic pressure. In his view, the number of people who drink has stayed relatively steady, but both frequency and volume are declining.

That distinction matters for producers and retailers across wine, beer and spirits. If participation remains stable while people drink less often and consume less each time, demand may shift not through a collapse in drinker numbers but through changes in product mix, serving formats and occasions. For companies planning forecasts or marketing strategies, Gen Z may matter less as a lost consumer base than as a group reshaping how alcohol is bought and consumed.

The country data in IWSR’s survey showed notable differences. In the United Kingdom, overall alcohol participation held steady at 82%, while Gen Z participation rose from 66% to 76% over three years. In the United States, overall participation was unchanged at 70%, though Gen Z drinking edged up to 71%. India posted some of the strongest growth in the study, with alcohol participation among higher-income urban Gen Z consumers rising from 60% to 80%. In China, participation remained high across generations, with Gen Z unchanged at 85%.

IWSR said Gen Z currently accounts for 17% of the global drinking population, a share expected to rise as more consumers reach legal drinking age.

The findings add weight to a broader debate over whether younger adults are truly rejecting alcohol or simply changing their habits. Recent discussion in the industry has often focused on sobriety trends and moderation among younger consumers. But this latest survey suggests that while Gen Z may be drinking differently, its participation rate has largely converged with that of older adults.

For beverage companies, that could mean adjusting assortments and messaging rather than assuming long-term disengagement from alcohol among younger legal-age consumers. Cocktails’ strong showing among Gen Z may also reinforce interest in ready-to-drink products, spirits-based serves and social drinking occasions, even as lower frequency and smaller volumes continue to shape consumption across the market.