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In 2025, most people no longer feel the need to explain why they do not drink alcohol, the survey found. The results point to the emergence of a new global drinking culture that is consistently transforming consumer attitudes across markets. Within this environment, refusing alcohol has become a socially accepted option: 72% of respondents said it is now enough to simply say “no, thank you,” without offering any justification.
The research, conducted in the United Kingdom, the United States, Spain, Brazil and Japan, suggests that social pressure around alcohol consumption is largely a thing of the past. According to the findings, 67% believe it is no longer appropriate to ask someone why they are not drinking, 81% say it is not a problem if someone declines alcohol without explanation, and 86% choose low-alcohol or alcohol-free drinks at festive gatherings without feeling guilty.
Joanna Price, global director of corporate affairs and communications at Heineken, said that the new data reinforces the company’s experience that moderation is no longer an extreme behavior, but is increasingly becoming mainstream.
The pace of change has been striking. Just 11 months ago, a study conducted by Heineken in cooperation with Oxford University professor Charles Spence highlighted that Generation Z had launched a quiet, confident revolution, even as alcohol-free choices were still surrounded by a degree of stigma.
That stigma has now largely disappeared. The confidence behind conscious decisions has spread across all generations, and asking “why aren’t you drinking?” has become more uncomfortable than answering it. Two-thirds of respondents, 66%, said it is easy to refuse alcohol at festive events, including company parties.
Spence said that the data shows that individual choice has become more important than group expectations, adding that our drinking or non-drinking habits are shaped less by fear of stigma and more by humor, confidence, and peer support.
Ruby Warrington, author and pioneer of the “Sober Curious” movement and co-author of the study, added that the question “Why aren’t you drinking?” has not only faded into the background, it has disappeared entirely.
The cultural shift around alcohol consumption has been accompanied by a notable market realignment within just one year. As moderation becomes increasingly mainstream, the low- and no-alcohol segment is expanding faster than ever, Heineken says.
In Hungary, the alcohol-free segment, including non-alcoholic lagers and radlers, has shown significant growth over the past decade.
While it accounted for 4% of volume in 2015, by 2025 it had risen to nearly 10%. Domestic growth has been driven primarily by the rising popularity of alcohol-free radlers and changing consumption habits among younger consumers.
Between 2020 and 2024, combined sales of Heineken 0.0 grew organically by 53% globally, measured in million hectoliters, reflecting a broader shift toward more conscious alcohol consumption, the company says.
The global alcohol-free beer market is now valued at USD 13.7 billion, representing 1.7% of total beer sales worldwide. Average annual growth is projected at 6% in Europe, 14% in the United States, and 45% in Brazil.
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