For the longest time I have been asking shops and restaurants I use to order home more alcohol-free beverages to choose from. Often the only non-alcoholic option has been Coke and in the best scenario a few options of beers, wines and ciders.
However, for the last couple of months I have noticed something new when I’ve been doing my weekly shopping at Tesco. The shelf where they stored alcohol free products has turned into eight shelves of different lines, and they are almost always sold out on beers and ciders! The wine is horrendous, so there are plenty of bottles left over at the end of the day, but, there is a definite change in supply and demand and it made me wonder why.
This week, BBC News made a story on how a young generation now has gone off alcohol and prefers to socialise while being sober! This IS a news worthy story.
The UK has been the black sheep in the EU for many years when it comes to young people’s excessive use of alcohol and to hear young people now say yes to a freer and richer life is indeed very refreshing! Reasons for staying sober are different for every person, but a couple of reoccurring reasons I have heard often from students that I have met while holding lecture days on alcohol and other drugs:
– The need not to hurt other people,
– not to be embarrassing,
– doing other things like using social media or
– wanting a healthy and active lifestyle.
Apparently alcohol free bars aimed at this young generation are popping up a bit everywhere which is fantastic. Now if they could only make this happen for 30+ consumers as well, this will be a very good year indeed!
