Overview

• A global IWSR Bevtrac survey found 73% of legal-age Gen Z drinkers consumed alcohol in the past six months, up from 66% two years earlier and matching older cohorts
• GlobalData analysis shows Gen Z is underrepresented in beer but overindexed in spirit-based RTDs, cocktails, liqueurs and aperitifs, with 59% expressing loyalty to personalized products
• Diageo research indicates that although Gen Z imbibes slightly less often than other generations, they do so with high enthusiasm and in socially anchored settings
• IWSR’s Richard Halstead attributes the surge to rising disposable incomes as more Gen Zers enter the workforce and cost-of-living pressures ease
• Rabobank analyst Bourcard Nesin cautions that recent spending gains reflect short-term economic improvements and a diverse demographic makeup rather than a permanent cultural shift