One movement to be mindful as operators, amongst many previous regular drinkers, driving growing demand to shift toward non-alcoholic and low-alcohol drinks is the rise of the “sober curious” movement, which encourages people to explore the benefits of sobriety and reduce their alcohol intake. While this movement has gained traction in recent years through fixed campaign months like “Sober October” and “Dry January” they have sparked a wave of friend groups collectively taking fixed term breaks at various intervals throughout the year. This could be the difference between your regular Friday night group of friends filling the tills each week and having an empty venue each week. It’s imperative to the future of our industry, that we safeguard against these changing habits and ensure we cater to all those looking to go out and socialise, regardless of consumption type.

The impact of this trend on the hospitality industry has been significant. In recent years, many bars and restaurants have responded to the growing demand for non-alcoholic and low-alcohol drinks by expanding their offering, often creating dedicated menus of non-alcoholic cocktails and other drinks. At the same time, the shift toward non-alcoholic and low-alcoholic drinks has also presented new challenges, meaning those bars and restaurants that fail to keep up with changing consumer preferences risk losing customers to competitors who offer a wider range of non-alcoholic and low-alcoholic options.