LSN : Daily Signals : Stat: Alcohol abstinence in England rises as sober-curious lifestyles gain traction

The Future Laboratory launches 2026 events calendar

The Future Laboratory Foresight Calendar, UK

UK – Our 2026 events calendar is here.

Don’t just follow the future – get ahead of it. Join The Future Laboratory in 2026 for a programme of inspiring presentations, guest speaker panels and live Q&A sessions, offering foresight to help you act with confidence.

The 2026 calendar includes video presentation webinars, expert panels and interactive discussions, alongside breakfast briefings and networking events in London. Each event explores what’s next, from the future of the drinks industry to the rebranding of sustainability as a core pillar in shaping and selling tomorrow’s innovations.

Leading brands like Marriott International, Chanel, Bacardi, Meta and many more partner with us to get unlimited access to our events, reports library and strategic foresight intelligence.

Download the 2026 events calendar to stay up to date with the latest briefings, here.

How diet sodas fell out of fashion

US – Consumers are turning their backs on diet drinks, with zero sugar emerging as the preferred signifier of healthier indulgence. While both diet and zero sugar sodas rely on artificial sweeteners, diet is increasingly viewed by younger consumers as outdated and morally loaded, according to Bloomberg. Zero sugar, by contrast, offers a perceived health halo without invoking diet culture.

The shift is translating into sales momentum. In 2025, zero sugar accounted for 52% of US soft drinks sales growth, as full sugar and diet variants declined, according to Circana.

Brands are responding fast: Pepsi’s 2025 Pepsi Challenge tour – its first in 50 years – pitted Pepsi Zero Sugar against Coke Zero Sugar, with the no-calorie line now commanding most of PepsiCo’s marketing spending, including its 2026 Super Bowl slot (source: Bloomberg). Keurig Dr Pepper has followed suit, expanding from offering no zero sugar offerings in 2020 to more than 40 today, with flavoured variants leading adoption.

The shift reflects a broader re-ordering of health priorities, as consumers move away from overt diet messaging towards functional benefits, with no sugar, high fibre and high protein increasingly driving sales. Our Functional Feasting macrotrend report unpacks how this recalibration of wellness is influencing what ends up on plates, menus and in fridges.

good mood soda by Rowdy Mermaid, US

Strategic opportunity

Regularly audit and refresh product language to align with emerging consumer mindsets. Anticipating semantic shifts – such as moving from diet to zero sugar – will allow your brand to future-proof offerings, maintain cultural relevance and turn evolving values into market advantage

Stat: Alcohol abstinence in England rises as sober-curious lifestyles gain traction

Oh My Guts!, Probiotic Beer, Singapore

UK – Almost a quarter of adults in England (24%) now abstain from alcohol, marking a notable rise from previous years when non-drinkers consistently accounted for about one in five adults. The shift signals a meaningful change in national drinking habits, after decades of relative stability.

Young people are driving the move away from alcohol. Rates of abstinence have risen most sharply among 16–24-year-olds, with both young men and women increasingly choosing not to drink at all. The picture is more complex among older adults. Those aged 55 and over who do consume alcohol are more likely to drink at hazardous levels than younger cohorts, pointing to a growing polarisation in alcohol behaviour across age groups.

Sober-curious and alcohol-free socialising is increasingly shaping how people meet, socialise and prioritise wellbeing. Previously observed in the US, similar patterns are now emerging in the UK, with evolving health preferences beginning to influence hospitality, drinks and nightlife, creating opportunities for alcohol-free options, daytime social formats and experiences that emphasise connection over consumption. For more, read our Social Sober Fix report.

Strategic opportunity

Brands should recognise the widening generational divide in UK drinking habits. Rather than focusing solely on Gen Z, strategies should reflect the behaviours and preferences of other high-spending groups, such as older adults, to capture the full market picture. To better understand these nuances, explore our Generations page