Turns Out, Gen Z Really Like Cocktails

You’ve probably heard it before: “Gen Z doesn’t drink alcohol.” It’s been an oft-repeated sentence in the last couple of years, sometimes with various levels of scorn attached to it (even though, if we’re being totally honest, drinking less alcohol isn’t a bad thing in any way). We’d imagine it’s a belief that’s also caused a fair bit of stress to alcohol companies’ CEOs, as they double down on canned margaritas and other ready-to-drink options, seemingly with a diminishing younger audience to sell them to. 

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Well, they needn’t worry. According to a major new study, Gen Z are drinking as much alcohol as everyone else – and cocktails are their thing. 

Cheers, Gen Z

A recent study published by IWSR, an alcohol insights and data provider, examined the drinking habits and frequency of members of Gen Z above the legal drinking age across 15 markets and compared them with those of other, older generations. It found that 74% of Gen Z customers who can legally purchase and consume alcohol choose to do so. Three years ago, this sat at 66% – so the belief that Gen Z used to drink less than everyone else is definitely unfounded. The total adult population drinking rate, meanwhile, sits at 76%. This is worldwide data, incidentally: In the US, 71% of Gen Zers drink, and the adult population’s drinking rate is 70%. 

As for what Gen Z likes to drink…grab your cocktail shakers! The generation is now the highest consumer of cocktails out of any age range, with 84% of those who drink having had a cocktail in the last six months. Gen Z is also more likely to listen to government health advice on drinking alcohol than any other generation, and more likely to consume alcohol amongst larger groups. 

Elsewhere, millennials and boomers still lead the pack in terms of alcohol consumption. Boomers, though, have seen a decline in drinking rates, and the IWSR says that the decline is a little higher than expected – although some of it can be chalked up to age.

So, Why Are Gen Z Drinking More?

Well, it doesn’t take a statistical genius to figure out that Gen Z’s getting older (its members are now from 14 to 29 years old) – and while the IWSR only counts adults of legal drinking age, the fact that many of them are now in their late 20s, and thus have had more time around alcohol drinking culture, is probably a large part of it. However, alcohol companies have been trying to capture the Gen Z market for a long time with a push towards more convenient, ready-to-go options, and it looks like it’s working. Vodka is now outpaced by RTD options in sales, and more and more (younger) people are cracking open cans of booze than ever.