“Now we have plenty of choice”: young people are drinking more non-alcoholic drinks

Non-alcoholic or low-alcohol drinks are gaining popularity in Canada. Even if this trend is felt in all age groups, it is especially young people from generation Z who would be most inclined to reduce their alcohol consumption by purchasing these drinks.

I realized that normality in society was to have a glass of wine all the timedeplores Alice Jean-Tremblay, encountered in the Apéro à zero boutique, in Montreal, which specializes in the sale of alcohol-free products.

It didn't suit me anymore. I had reached something else, another place in my life. And it caused me more problems than positivescontinues this young woman who has not consumed alcohol for a year and a half.

Another customer of this establishment, Manon Desbiens, tells us that she does not regret having stopped drinking.

Before, people who didn't drink alcohol didn't have the choice of drinking coffee or Coke. But now we have plenty of choices, so at least we don't feel like we're left out.

Not only are non-alcoholic wines and beer popular, but non-alcoholic spirits have also multiplied on store shelves in recent years… among other things to meet growing demand.

At the Noroi distillery, president Jonathan Robin does not hide it: in 2020, his company decided to focus on non-alcoholic drinks, because that is what is the most profitable.

The only niche that is growing is alcohol-free products. We are seeing it at the moment: sales of spirits and beer are decreasinghe emphasizes.

And this bet worked: alcohol-free products now represent 80% of this distillery's sales.

A growing trend

At the Société des alcools du Québec (SAQ), the alcohol-free phenomenon is also not insignificant. In its 2023-2024 annual report, the state corporation mentions a growing trend with overall sales growth in liters of 36% compared to the previous financial year.

Sales of canned ready-to-drink products in this category – favorite products – for their part experienced growth of 49%.

However, on the side of alcoholic beverages, the state company notes a slight decreasemore it's not something very, very notable. We are more or less at minus 1% in certain respectsspecifies Simon Bourbeau, director of spirits and celebrations categories at the SAQ.

The range of non-alcoholic drinks has also increased in recent years. SAQ. In 2020, only around twenty products in this category were offered on its shelves. Today, consumers can choose from more than 100 products.

Not to mention that more and more vineyards and large wine houses embark on the adventure of low alcoholnotes Mr. Bourbeau.

For its part, the Quebec Brewers Association notes that sales of non-alcoholic beers have tripled since 2019. These products now occupy 15% of the beer market.

In Ontario, the Liquor Control Board (LCBO) published its trends for 2024 at the beginning of the month. It says it has observed a considerable increase sales of non-alcoholic drinks, an increase of 73% compared to last year and 189% compared to 2022.

“Gen Z” less inclined to alcohol

The global marketing research company NielsenIQ indicated in June 2024 that sales of non-alcoholic beverages had increased by 24% in one year in Canada, reaching a value of nearly $200 million.

Furthermore, this firm reported that 41% of consumers of non-alcoholic drinks were between 21 and 34 years old.

According to Chantal Blouin, specialized scientific advisor at the National Institute of Public Health of Quebec (INSPQ), the reduction in alcohol consumption is first observed among younger generations.

Younger people have a different perception of alcohol consumption and the risks associated with it. There is also a social norm that has evolved among young people: it is more easily accepted not to drink. There is perhaps not the same social pressure to consume that there was among older people.

The founder and co-owner of the Apéro à zero boutique, Marilou Lapointe, observes, however, that her clientele is varied in terms of age.

Generation Z customers don't see the added value in getting drunk. They just want to have a few drinks, have fun, without necessarily being intoxicated. We also have older clients: for them, it is because of their medication or it is a question of healthshe notes.

But 80% of our customers are people who just want to reduce their alcohol consumption by alternating with quality products.says Ms. Lapointe.