New data shows adults rejecting guilt this holiday amid appreciation of moderation over absolutes

As the festive season gets underway, new attitudinal research of more than 2,000 adults from the US and UK conducted by the International Alliance for Responsible Drinking (IARD) shows that most Americans are prepared to take a balanced, self-moderated approach to drinking this festive season – and are increasingly weary of moralised messaging on alcohol consumptionⁱ.

While the festive season and New Year are traditionally seen as a time of indulgence, IARD’s findings reveal that moderation, not excess, may now be more front of mind. Eight in ten adults (81%) agree that moderation is a responsible way to enjoy alcohol, while most (71%) see it as part of a balanced lifestyle. Awareness of risk is near universal, with 94% of drinkers saying they understand the risks associated with alcohol.

Julian Braithwaite, CEO of IARD, said:

“The data makes one thing clear: most adults recognise the value of drinking moderately and want to celebrate good times and friends. People understand the risks, they know their limits, and they appreciate balance. What they don’t want is to be stigmatised for enjoying a glass of something special during the holidays or a toast on New Year’s Eve.”

The new research also shows strong support for empowering, balanced communication over alarmist or absolutist messages. When asked to choose, majorities (51%) in both the UK and US said it’s better to promote moderation than to focus on restriction – recognizing that many adults do choose to drink. Indeed, data shows that nearly half (49%) of Americans said that they planned to drink less alcohol in 2025ⁱⁱ,ⁱⁱⁱ.

This preference for balance extends to expectations of policy. The majority of adults (82%) believe governments should focus on tackling the real harms of addiction, underage drinking, and drunk-driving – not policing responsible adults who enjoy a drink.

Despite this self-awareness, many feel that the joy of celebration has been clouded by guilt. Nearly two-thirds (61%) say that drinking, even in moderation, is now judged more negatively than before.

“Public debate around drinking has become dominated by extremes,” Julian Braithwaite added. “The evidence suggests that most adults sit comfortably in the middle – drinking moderately, understanding the risks, and making responsible choices. It’s time that conversation caught up with reality and recognised that enjoying a glass of something, particularly during the festive season, isn’t a moral failure but part of a valid social experience.”

The data shows this tension is felt most acutely by Gen Z, who are navigating what IARD has termed the ‘Double Pressure Paradox’: equal social pressure to drink and not to drink. Collectively across both geographies, half (50%) of Gen Z say they feel urged by health campaigns and media to cut back on alcohol consumption, compared to 24% of the over 60s. At the same time, 47% of Gen Z feel similar pressure from friends and family compared to just 10% of the older generation. However, Gen Z are more likely than the over 60s to say alcohol makes social occasions more enjoyable – 85% to 70%, respectively – and 60% of the younger generation say drinking alcohol is part of their culture and tradition compared to just 45% of the over 60s.

IARD is a standards raising not-for-profit organisation with the world’s largest online database of peer-reviewed research on alcohol and health, alcohol policy and alcohol regulation. Its recent study of 23 meta-analyses examining the association between alcohol consumption and all-cause mortality found that across all, light-to-moderate consumption had the same or lower risk of death compared to no alcohol consumption^iv.

At the same time, the most recent WHO data shows that of the WHO’s 194 member states, 113 (or 62%) of those with available data are on track or have already met the harmful drinking reduction target according to at least one indicator^v. Crucially, the most notable progress was made in the two indicators that link directly to harm: global alcohol-attributable mortality rates fell by 20.2%, while morbidity rates by 17.4% between 2010 and 2019^vi.

Overall, this festive season IARD is calling for a more confident and realistic conversation about alcohol – one that reflects and celebrates how the majority live: raising a glass, living in balance and aware of risks.

About IARD

The International Alliance for Responsible Drinking (IARD) is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to reducing harmful drinking and promoting understanding of responsible drinking. We are supported by the leading global beer, wine, and spirits producers, who have come together for a common purpose: to be part of the solution in combating harmful drinking. To advance this shared mission, IARD works and partners with public sector, civil society, and private stakeholders. www.iard.org

IARD’s members are AB InBev, Asahi, Bacardi, Brown-Forman, Carlsberg, Diageo, Heineken, Kirin, Moët Hennessy, Molson Coors Beverage Company, Pernod Ricard, Suntory Global Spirits, and William Grant & Sons. Associate members: The Coca-Cola Company and LOTTE Chilsung Beverage.

Footnotes

ⁱ International Alliance for Responsible Drinking (IARD). Online survey conducted from 11 to 16 October 2025 among 2,010 adults in the UK and the US. All respondents were of legal drinking age in the UK (18+) and the US (21+). The survey included 1,007 respondents in the UK and 1,004 in the US. Full data and methodological detail are available upon request.

ⁱⁱ NHS Digital. (2022). Health survey for England, 2021 part 1. Available at https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/health-survey-for-england/2021. (Accessed 21 November 2025)

ⁱⁱⁱ NCSolutions (a Circana company). “Nearly Half of Americans Plan to Drink Less Alcohol in 2025, up 44% From 2023.” Blog post, 21 January 2025. Available at: https://www.circana.com/post/americans-drinking-less-2025. (Accessed 20 November 2025).

iv World Health Organisation, “Global status report on alcohol and health and treatment of substance use disorders”, 24 June 2024. Report. Available at https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240096745. (Accessed 20 November 2025).

^v World Health Organization (WHO). (2011). NCD Global Monitoring Framework. Available at https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/ncd-surveillance-global-monitoring-framework (Accessed 21 November 2025) and World Health Organization (WHO). (2022). Global alcohol action plan 2022-2030. Available at https://www.who.int/teams/mental-health-and-substance-use/alcohol-drugs-and-addictive-behaviours/alcohol/our-activities/towards-and-action-plan-on-alcohol (Accessed 21 November 2025)

^vi International Alliance for Responsible Drinking, “Table: Meta-analyses on alcohol consumption and all-cause mortality 2000-2025”. Available at https://iard.org/science-resources/detail/Table-MAs-AllCause-Mortality. (Accessed 21 November 2025).

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