Alcohol? Gen Z are saying no. Beer drinking, wine and cocktail consumption are all on the decline among the TikTok generation – wellness, even cannabis could be why

Young people describe why they shun alcoholic drinks, and experts suggest why there is a move away from alcohol among Gen Z, from drinking less to none at all

Among the explanations: Covid pandemic rules that stopped young people gathering to socialise, a focus on fitness and wellness, and a turn towards other drugs

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Customers drink wine in Hong Kong’s Lan Kwai Fong nightlife district. Some in Gen Z - those born in or after 2000 - drink little alcohol, others none at all. Photo: Yik Yeung-man

Nicole Tan

Published: 6:15pm, 27 Aug 2023Updated: 7:45am, 28 Aug 2023

The only time Jolene Mak Pui-ying ever drank alcohol was by accident.

“I thought it was a cup of Ribena, [a blackcurrant-based soft drink],” the 20-year-old says, “but it was actually red wine.”

Not only does she not enjoy the taste, Mak – who studies computer science at Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) – also thinks drinking alcohol is not necessary to have a good time.

Sophie Robertson, 19, agrees. She tried drinking for a few months but decided it was not for her, especially after years of watching beer drinkers go wild at Hong Kong’s annual Rugby Sevens tournaments, and waiting in queues for toilets with nauseous partygoers.

Fans drinking beer at the Hong Kong Rugby Sevens tournament in 2022. Photo: Yik Yeung-man

“I just didn’t find that [drinking] made things better or more fun,” says Robertson, who graduated from Hong Kong International School in 2022. “I was still able to have a lot of fun with my friends, completely sober.”