The Sober Generation

THE concept called “sober curiosity” perhaps explains why the genera­tion born between 1997 and 2012, called Gen Z, is drinking less than even millennials and previous generations. While others were driven by defiance of disciplinar­ian elders, curiosity about the forbidden, or the lure of euphoria, Gen Z, by and large, is excited to explore what happens if you don’t indulge. Global surveys confirm this trend—and don’t be mistaken: this shift is sweeping through India as well, both in perception and empirical evidence that Gen Z is the most sober of them all.

But do global surveys truly reflect the Indian reality, especially among the urban middle classes? Let’s first look at the global data. Data from the US National Institute of Alco­hol Abuse and Alcohol­ism shows that alcohol consumption in the US has risen overall, accord­ing to a TIME magazine report from early 2025. It also quotes a study from the National Institute on Drug Abuse, noting that drinking among young people has been declining since 2000. This trend, other surveys confirm, is more pronounced among Generation Z than mil­lennials (those born be­tween 1981 and 1996). For Gen Z, alcohol no longer holds the social prestige it once did—drinking is no longer “cool”, and fun and partying aren’t necessari­ly equated with alcohol.

A large group of young people under the Gen Z banner, surveyed by Open across Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, and some Tier III cities, offer strong indications that today’s youth are far less interested in al­cohol compared to their immediate predecessors, and much less than their parents or grandparents. Baby boomers typically revelled in alcohol, while the generations that followed oscillated between moderation and bouts of binge drinking. Though this generation­al trend is noticeable, individual choices—as always—vary.

In fact, the reasons Gen Z is drinking less—across categories including hard liquor, beer, and cocktails— extend beyond “sober curiosity”. That’s mere­ly one factor among many, including health concerns, appearance in the Instagram era, economic constraints, and, most notably, the decline of alcohol’s cultural cachet.

Take, for instance, Jyotika Rawat, a 25-year-old fitness enthusiast and coach from Delhi, and a former professional boxer. She says she isn’t judging anyone, but in her circle, Gen Z drinks less, regardless of whether one is into sport. “I don’t drink because I just don’t enjoy it, and I have way more fun when I’m clear-headed and actually remember the night. I do think millennials drank more than us because it was trendy back then,” she says, adding that it’s “definitely” possible to have fun without alcohol. “Good company, good music, and snacks usually do the trick,” she avers.

The heavy drinking culture of the past years has gradually shifted from excess to modera­tion and now, in some cases, abstinence, leading to reduced alcohol consumption among the young, even as overall drinking has increased. The Covid-19 lockdown may have affected Gen Z’s social habits.

The evidence lies in the global rise of non-al­coholic, alcohol-style beverages. The market for such drinks is valued at $13 billion and is growing at 7 per cent annually, said a report in The Economic Times. In India, this emerging category—al­cohol-flavoured but with zero alcohol and targeted at Gen Z and the next generation—is worth `67,000 crore, as young consumers adopt long-term lifestyle changes. India’s total non-alcoholic beverages market, valued at `1.37 trillion in 2023, is projected to reach `2.10 trillion by 2029, according to the Indian Beverage Association.

What else but this shift could explain the rise of companies like Sober? Gen Z accounts for 26 per cent of India’s population, and their preferences are already reshaping market trends and social norms. Sober, a brand offering non-al­coholic whiskies, vodkas, and similar products, was created to fill the void between sugary sodas and bland mocktails. As their website says, “We saw an opportunity to craft a drink that helps unwind while staying rooted in health and wellness. Inspired by nature, we distilled organically grown herbs with mood-enhancing benefits, blending ancient wisdom with modern craftsmanship. The result? India’s first distilled non-alcoholic drink—bottling the es­sence of calm, clarity, and pure refreshment. Sober isn’t just a drink; it’s an experience of sobriety in high spirits!”

As the saying goes, necessity is the mother of invention—and Sober is clearly responding to Gen Z’s palate and lifestyle. A Sober non-alcoholic whisky is advertised as smoky and peaty, with notes of dried fruits, honey, and oak, and ingre­dients like vanilla, clove, ashwagandha, tulsi, arjuna, and angelica root.

Elsewhere in the world, “sober bars” replicate the look and feel of traditional bars, offering the ambience and experience—with­out the alcohol. Mean­while, some experts attribute the decline in alcohol consumption to increasing awareness of new research. Alcohol, once thought relatively harmless in moderation, is now linked to serious health risks.

According to one Delhi-based health official, “Just as previous generations didn’t realise the long-term damage tobacco could cause, we now know that alcohol doesn’t really reduce stress or improve life when consumed in moderation.” The World Health Organization (WHO) has also issued stark warnings. A state­ment on its website reads: “The risks and harms associated with drink­ing alcohol have been systematically evaluated over the years and are well documented.” A 2023 Lancet Public Health publication declared: “There is no safe amount that does not affect health.”

WHO adds: “Alcohol is a toxic, psychoactive, and dependence-produc­ing substance, classified as a Group 1 carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer decades ago—this is the highest risk group, which also includes asbestos, radiation, and tobacco. Alcohol causes at least seven types of cancer, in­cluding bowel and female breast cancer. Ethanol causes can­cer through biologi­cal mechanisms as it breaks down in the body—meaning any alcoholic beverage, regardless of price or quality, poses a cancer risk.” Accord­ing to WHO, the latest data show that half of all alcohol-at­tributable cancers in the WHO European Region stem from “light” or “moderate” consump­tion—less than 1.5 litres of wine, 3.5 litres of beer, or 450 ml of spirits per week.

Of course, there’s a caveat. Many underage people still do smoke or drink. Some still push their bodies to extremes, experimenting with endurance and drugs— including chemical substances that continue to attract all age groups.

And yet, among Gen Z, there’s clearly a growing awareness about the consequences of alcohol and a desire to live both healthily and stylishly. More evidence is emerging: surveys report a significant drop in alcohol sales at music venues in Europe and the US, thanks to Gen Z’s habits.

For generations whose parents frowned upon drinking, alcohol was once a symbol of rebellion. Today, in many urban middle-class homes, college students are occasionally allowed to drink, stripping the act of its shock value. Sleepovers and casual dating are now common­place, even in Tier II cities. For many Gen Z women, smoking or drinking in public no longer func­tions as an overt act of de­fiance. Instead, a growing number are choosing not to compromise health or appearance for fleeting gestures of rebellion.

THERE are more prac­tical reasons to abstain too. Alongside their awareness, many Gen Zs face financial stress and job uncertainty. One might recall Paul Krugman’s The Age of Diminished Expecta­tions (1990s) to grasp the disillusionment—where students take on debt for degrees that don’t guaran­tee jobs. Priyanka Bisht, 25, who works with an MNC in Gurugram, says she avoids drinking simply because it feels like a waste of money. Some friends in her group drink, she says, “to feel less pain or forget about job insecurities or frustrations at work or home or parents not agree­ing for love marriage be­cause of caste and culture”, but there is no pressure to order alcohol when they have an evening out—no­body compels anyone, which was rarely the case in any friendly gatherings of the past. “Sometimes I order a light alcoholic beverage to try the taste. But I always regret ordering because it’s not worth the money and does nothing to me,” she says. She believes she may talk a bit more than usual after a drink, but she adds, “I do remember everything I say or talk about. I’ve never had drinks out of control because I like staying in my senses and not giving power to alcohol to drive my words or actions. I don’t think alcohol makes people cool, but I guess they like to believe that it does.”

Today’s job market, reshaped by AI and auto­mation, has shaken glob­al confidence. Many Gen Zs are hopeful of “work”, but uncertain about stable employment. Unlike baby boomers, they haven’t grown up watching their parents persist through hardship with the same tenacity and resilience.

Whatever the reason, more young people—es­pecially Gen Z—are drink­ing less, notwithstanding scepticism and caveats. Surveys across the globe suggest they’re driven by a mix of health conscious­ness, financial prudence, and lifestyle priorities. For them, it’s often a choice between responsibility and indulgence.

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