Explainer: Is Gen Z really drinking less?
Welcome to our weekly teen and young adult newsletter powered by Daily Intelligence. Never miss a beat on what young people are up to.
I read YPulse every day. It's how I keep up with the audience.
Kaley Mullin | Youth and Trends Insights Lead, YouTube
Watch Gen Z x Cool On-Demand
What does ”cool“ mean to Gen Z (and does your brand have it)? And sign up for a free Gen Z Pulse Check. Check it out!
?? Ask YPulse
Every week we answer one reader-submitted question. If you'd like to submit a question, leave it in the comments of this post. This week a reader asks:
Is Gen Z really drinking less than previous generations?
Gen Z is shaking up the drinking scene, embracing moderation and exploring alternative beverages. This generation is drinking less alcohol than their predecessors, with a significant increase in the number of young people who say they never drink. In fact, 27% of 21-39-year-olds now report they never touch alcohol, up from 17% in 2019. Underage drinking has also seen a decline, with only 17% of under-21-year-olds in the U.S. admitting to having consumed alcohol, compared to 22% in 2023. This shift is driven by a growing disinterest in alcohol and the negative impacts observed in previous generations.
Gone are the days when bars and clubs were the go-to spots for a night out. Gen Z and Millennials are increasingly opting to drink at home. A whopping 74% of young people prefer the comfort of their own space for drinking, and 45% of 21-39-year-olds say they are staying home more compared to last year. This trend is accompanied by a rise in the consumption of non-alcoholic alternatives. Mocktails are becoming a weekly staple for 22% of 21+ individuals who drink, and 20% are exploring alternative beverages like CBD-infused drinks.
While Gen Z is drinking less overall, social drinking remains a popular activity. Alcohol is seen as a way to bond with friends, with 64% of 21-39-year-olds agreeing that drinking is a way to connect with others. Social media plays a significant role in promoting new drink trends and recipes, encouraging young people to try new flavors and brands. Despite the overall decline in alcohol consumption, weekly drinking has returned to pre-pandemic levels, with 45% of 21-39-year-olds drinking weekly or more often.
This generation is redefining drinking culture with a focus on moderation, non-alcoholic alternatives, and social drinking at home. The shift reflects changing cultural norms and a growing emphasis on health and wellness among young people.
This question was asked on March 10, 2025 using the YPulse Pro AI model. The answer has been edited only for brevity. Learn more about YPulse AI →
?? Cool Brands: The Teen Top 25
We interviewed over 35,016 13-18-year-olds across North America and Western Europe to find out which brands are the coolest.
?? The Newsfeed
Each week we share the most clicked posts from our expert-curated Newsfeed.
01 Formula 1 is having a fashion moment thanks to Gen Z.
Once seen as a boy’s club, F1 has become a hotspot for luxury fashion, now attracting tons of female fans and major brands looking to cash in. Louis Vuitton just locked in a 10-year partnership with F1, and drivers like Lewis Hamilton—now a Lululemon ambassador and MET Gala co-host—are proving that high-speed and high-fashion can go together. With the Netflix docuseries Drive to Survive and social media pulling in more female fans (now 40% of the audience), it’s no shock that brands are jumping on board. And since Gen Z is turning to TikTok and Instagram for style inspo—and buying straight from their feeds, according to YPulse—F1’s fashion takeover probably won’t be slowing down anytime soon. (Women’s Health Mag)?
?? Read more from YPulse: Gen Z Males and Females’ Coolest Fashion Brands?
02 Touchlands $10 hand sanitizer mist is blowing up on TikTok as a tween favorite.
Reminiscent of Pokémon card trading or the silly-band craze for past gens, Touchlands sleek, colorful mist bottles seems to be the newest status symbol for teens and tweens. And they aren’t just collecting them—they’re swapping and trading different scents and colors with friends. While sanitizing is still a habit for kids who grew up during a pandemic, the real draw for them is the aesthetic design. Their bright colors and rectangular shape looks more like a vintage iPhone than a personal care product, and the teen collecting trend has driven the brand’s growth from $15.9M in 2022 to over $100M in 2024. With YPulse’s Tween Report showing 36% of 8-12-year-old girls are interested in beauty and personal care, it’s no surprise that the young generation loves Touchlands eye-catching products. (WSJ)
?? Read more from YPulse: The Real Data on Tweens Buying Skincare?
03 The trendy new aesthetic for Gen Z celebs is...“Boom Boom.”
While the name doesn’t exactly convey a visual off the bat, Gen Z will know the look: it has all the exaggerated glitz of wealth in the ‘80s and ‘90s and is a next step from last year’s “Mob Wife” looks. It gets the name from trend forecaster Sean Monahan, who named it after the NYC Boom Boom Room club and all its excessive, successful, “greedy” implications. The proof is already on the runways, in suited-up looks from Kim Kardashian to Chappell Roan, and an upcoming American Psycho remake to boot. In addition to “old money” and “quiet luxury” trending for a while now, Millennials are stepping into a more “adult” look—and even Gen Z, who feel adulthood being delayed financially, can “at least look the part.” (The Cut)?
?? Read more from YPulse: Quiet luxury redefined fashion and beauty tastes, making it a top viral moment of 2023?
04 Wellness clubs are being called the “Gen Z answer to the country club.”
Instead of traditional gyms or exclusive social clubs, high-end wellness spaces are offering an alternative where self-care is the new status symbol. These luxury spots offer everything from meditation rooms to IV drips, making wellness feel both indulgent and necessary to the young gen. In LA, Hume members can flow from yoga to cold plunges to matcha-fueled rooftop hangs. Meanwhile, Heimat in Hollywood offers coworking, Michelin-chef-designed restaurants, and a pool deck so popular it has a waitlist. YPulse has called Gen Z the “wellness intensified” generation, with 77% of 18-24-year-olds saying wellness is anything that makes you feel good. Rather than chasing weight loss, they’re embracing a more holistic approach—prioritizing self-care while building social connection. Of course, these clubs come with hefty membership fees ($750 a month for Love.Life in CA, for example) so they’re not going to be a third place for the average Gen Z consumer. (Vogue)?
?? Read more from YPulse: How Gen Z and Millennials Are Redefining Wellness?
05 Young people are rethinking how they connect online.
As the internet turns nearly 30-years-old, many of the biggest online platforms are starting to feel outdated to Gen Z, like they’re just ads and algorithmic echo chambers. Young people are in search of more authentic, intimate spaces where they can form real connections.?YPulse even reported before?that Gen Z and Millennials want branded content to feel natural, as polished content is like white noise to young consumers. While platforms like Snapchat remain popular for personal connections among younger Gen Z?according to YPulse, many big tech and social media giants are losing trust. Clearly, brands that focus on real human connections are going to come out on top as Gen Z only further dominates what succeeds online. (The Verge)?
?? Read more from YPulse:?Does Gen Z Really Think Social Media Is Bad for Them??? ??
CMO @ YPulse | Teen & YA Insights Explainer | ex-White House, Teenage Research Unlimited (TRU)
1 天前The youths get blamed for "breaking" everything that came before them—but maybe just maybe it's time for some things to be broken.
Global Strategic Marketing & Consumer Insights @ Campari Group
1 天前GenZ certainly has a different relationship with alcohol than other generations, but I wonder to what extent this is exacerbated by the ongoing cost of living crisis. They are after all earlier in their careers and likely more sensitive to the crunch than more established generations. Will be interesting to see how this continues to manifest.