Is sober the new drunk?

Young people aged 18-24 are the most sober generation yet, with 39% choosing to skip alcohol altogether. But what’s fuelling this shift, and is it a trend everyone’s embracing?

(C) Scarlette Isaac

(C) Scarlette Isaac

With Dry January in full swing, an increasing number of people in the UK are trading the Sauvignon Blancs for sobriety.

But for many, it’s more than just a one-month experiment – going teetotal is becoming a long-term lifestyle choice.

Recent data from YouGov crowned Gen Z (people born between 1997 and 2012) as the most sober age group, with 39% of them reporting that they do not drink alcohol at all.

The survey, conducted in partnership with the Portman Group, also highlighted a growing interest in low and alcohol-free alternatives. Over a third of UK drinkers (38%) reported buying these options on a semi-regular basis.

Among 25-34-year-olds, 46% said they are either occasional or regular consumers of alcohol alternatives, up from 37% in 2023.

But who or what is responsible for sparking this new wave of sober curiosity?

Meet Millie Gooch, Founder of the Sober Girl Society.

Millie, who founded the Sober Girl Society – a UK-based community for sober and sober curious women – believes Gen Z’s “curious” nature is driving the trend of giving up alcohol.

"I think it's a mixture of a perfect storm... Gen Z are conscious consumers who question things – not just when it comes to drinking, but also fast fashion, and pretty much everything. They are that kind of more curious generation."

Millie, who has been sober for seven years, decided to quit alcohol after putting herself in increasingly dangerous situations.

“[I] was drinking far too much, blacking out, not remembering my night", she said.

"I didn't know what there was really another side of my personality, other than being the friend that you could always get s***-faced with."
Millie Gooch

At the same time, working in journalism, Millie struggled to find stories of young women like her who had stopped drinking.

Driven to create that missing space, Gooch founded the Sober Girl Society, which has since grown to over 200,000 followers on Instagram.

The group is open to all women who are either sober or sober curious, and it hosts a variety of virtual and real-life events.

"One of the things people said to me was: 'I struggle to feel sexy when I’m not drinking.' So we decided, cool, burlesque classes seem like the right way to go for this,” Gooch explained.

She added: "We also do virtual workshops... like navigating anxiety, vision boarding, navigating heartbreak, sober, and things like that. They're all expert-led by psychotherapists and counsellors."

Millie Gooch (C) Sober Girl Society

Data from Alcohol Change UK found that just over one in five who drink (21%) want to drink less in 2025. The main reasons cited included concerns about long-term damage to their health, diet and sleep quality, and regret about their drunk actions.

Millie similarly noted 'hangxiety' as an incentive to put the party girl days behind her, especially in the digital age of social media and instant documentation.

She said: "You can be online doing something drunk and stupid so people can wake up with that added anxiety of like: ‘oh god, what if there's a picture of me snogging my co-worker on Snapchat!’, or whatever it may be."

Gen Z on Gen Z going sober...

"It saves a lot of money, especially in a big city like London."

"The people who are earning more money don't want to go out...they'd rather go running with their friends."

What role does Dry January play in sober curiosity?

Dry January has become a popular challenge, with many people using the month to take a break from alcohol and see what happens when they hit pause on drinking.

For some, the motivation is healthier living, and for others, it’s an easy way to save a bit of cash after Christmas.

But is it actually enough time to understand your relationship with alcohol?

Millie Gooch isn’t sure.

“ I don't think you learn that much about your relationship with alcohol if you literally spend 30 days stuck in your house, just not drinking,” she said.

Data: Alcohol Change UK, 2024

Data: Alcohol Change UK, 2024

Gooch says it's all about stepping out of your comfort zone, trying social activities sober with friends, and even aiming for 90 days without alcohol if possible.

She advises reflecting during the detox too: “What do you miss? What situations do you find yourself in where you're like I really want a glass of wine? What is that telling you?

“Just don't go out the next day and get horrendously p***** because your tolerance will be so much lower!".

What do Gen Z think of Dry January?

While it is clear that there is a growing interest in living booze-free, the reality of a night out in Clapham revealed that drinking culture is far from disappearing in the city.

There was no shortage of pints, jägerbombs, or questionable karaoke performances - and a lot of young people didn’t seem too keen on the concept of Dry January either…

"I think it's such a miserable month...we need something to look forward to."

"People are just following a trend."

"I think it's a little bit cringe."

The Future of the Sober Movement: What’s Next?

Whether quitting altogether, cutting back, or trading for alternatives, (some!) young people are becoming more mindful about their alcohol consumption.

A place catering to this shift is low and no-alcohol bar, Club Soda…

Millie Gooch on future of the growing sober curious movement:

"I think it's only going to continue. I don't know if everyone's going to go sober, but I think a lot of people will definitely start re-evaluating their relationship with alcohol."