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5d ago

Gen Z Alcohol Use Jumps to 73%, Aligning With Older Generations

Easing financial pressures have prompted Gen Z to shift from abstention into spirit-led social drinking at bars, restaurants or clubs.

Members of the Black Bourbon Society sample whiskeys from Rabbit Hole Distillery in Louisville, Kentucky, April 28, 2019. The society organized a brunch to celebrate the history of black horse jockeys while tasting spirits at distilleries. (Aaron Borton/The New York Times)
According to the study, millennials, those aged between 28 and 44, were the most likely to drink
A Russian River Brewing Company customer takes a sip of the newly released Pliny the Younger triple IPA beer on February 7, 2014 in Santa Rosa, California.
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Overview

  • The share of legal-age Gen Z adults reporting alcohol consumption in the past six months climbed from 66 percent in March 2023 to 73 percent in March 2025 across 15 global markets according to IWSR Bevtrac.
  • In the United States, Gen Z drinking rates surged from 46 percent to 70 percent over the same period while Canadian rates rose from 56 percent to 69 percent.
  • Gen Z drinkers are more likely than older cohorts to consume spirits and to sample a wider variety of alcoholic beverages.
  • Almost half of Gen Z drinkers cited bars, restaurants or clubs as their most recent drinking venue, compared with just over a third of all adult drinkers.
  • Despite the uptick, IWSR highlights that moderation remains a wider trend, with Gen Z’s patterns mirroring those of preceding generations.