Food & Beverage
Americans’ Evolving Drinking Habits
Report summary
The culture of drinking in the U.S. is undergoing a significant transformation. While the adult beverage category has expanded with an explosion of global influences and innovative products and flavor profiles, fewer Americans are consuming alcohol overall. At the same time, the low- and non-alcoholic beverage market is experiencing rapid growth, driven by consumers, particularly younger generations, seeking less-boozy alternatives.
Morning Consult’s report Americans’ Evolving Drinking Habits explores these shifting consumer preferences and the factors shaping the future of the adult beverage industry. Based on a survey conducted January 4-5, 2025, as well as surveys fielded monthly since October 2021 among roughly 2,200 U.S. adults per month, this report provides insights into how consumers are thinking about and engaging with adult beverages today.
Key Takeaways
- Fewer Americans are drinking alcohol: The share of adults who say they drink has been declining, driven by various factors from health concerns to societal shifts and lifestyle considerations.
- Drinking is inherently social: Drinkers most often consume with others and tend to choose their beverages based on specific occasions.
- The beer industry has a Gen Z problem: While beer has traditionally appealed to younger drinkers, Gen Zers are eschewing it in favor of other options like hard seltzers.
- Sober and damp lifestyles continue to gain popularity: Drinkers and non-drinkers alike are embracing non- and low- alcohol alternatives.
Data Downloads
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Methodology
Research featured in this report draws from several data sources:
- A survey conducted January 4-5, 2025, among 2,202 U.S. adults.
- Monthly surveys conducted from October 2021 to December 2024 among roughly 2,200 U.S. adults per month.
- Economic data comes from Morning Consult’s U.S. Consumer Spending tracker, which provides a detailed assessment of U.S. households’ self-reported expenditures as well as spending allocation.The interviews were conducted online, and the data was weighted to approximate respective populations of adults based on gender, educational attainment, race and region. Top-line results from all surveys have margins of error of up to +/-2 percentage points.
All questions about alcoholic beverages were fielded only to respondents aged 21+.
About the author
Lindsey Roeschke is an analyst whose work focuses on behavior and expectations of consumers in the travel & hospitality and food & beverage categories, particularly through a generational and cultural lens. Prior to joining Morning Consult, she served as a director of consumer and culture analysis at Gartner. In addition to her research and advisory background, Lindsey has more than a decade of experience in the advertising world. She has lived and worked in seven cities across four continents.
