Anti-hangover hacks and no-alcohol drinking sit on opposite ends of the beverage spectrum. Two distant, almost contradictory markets that, when considered together, reveal something larger than consumption: society itself. And the bar world — its identity, its future faces, its very definition — is caught in this shift. For reasons of scale and trend, the most talked-about topic is the rise of zero-alcohol spirits and a generation of young people who seem less inclined to drink.
Gen Z, No Alcohol and Anti-Hangover: New Consumption Behaviors
The rumors are true, Gen Z — more precisely, people between 18 and 30 — are choosing alcohol-free drinks, soft beverages and, according to data presented at the Beverage Forum Europe 2025, nearly a quarter of Europe’s youth in that age bracket did not purchase alcohol at all this year. Other research, such as this year’s International Wine and Spirit Research report, suggests a slightly different picture in Italy, with a modest rise in alcohol consumption among young adults and “only” 24% cutting back. Yet the number of Gen Z drinkers choosing non-alcoholic drinks or no-alcohol cocktails is approaching 17%.
Soft drinks like sodas remain the favorite choice, but the market for non-alcoholic beers and zero-alcohol spirits has grown by 35% in the last five years, according to Fortune Italia. Across the U.S. and Europe, sales of alcohol-free beverages are estimated to have surged by 300%.
Anti-Hangover, From Supplement to Global Business
On the opposite front, yet expanding at the same speed, is the market for anti-hangover remedies. Not old family cures or backstage elixirs whispered about by veteran bartenders, but actual pills, gels and supplements promising a clear mind after a heavy night. Official numbers are scarce, since these products fall under vitamins and minerals rather than registered pharmaceuticals. Still, the segment is booming. In Italy alone, at least a dozen new products have launched in the past year. Global forecasts point to a value of 6.18 billion dollars by 2030, spanning gummies, capsules, powders, tablets and, more recently, patches.
Market Expansion in Asia and Among Millennials
Today’s average consumer is North American, followed closely by Europeans, but Asia is where the fastest growth is happening — especially in South Korea and Japan, driven by rising purchasing power and a growing openness toward cocktails and spirits. In cities like Bangkok, it is not unusual to find clinics offering vitamin IV drips as casually as a haircut. What stands out most is the age group fueling this demand: Millennials, roughly between 32 and 45.
Anti-Hangover and No Alcohol as Mirrors of a Changing Society
These two opposing trends — no alcohol and post-alcohol recovery — reflect a divide in both bar culture and society that has never been so stark. Excessive drinking on one side, total abstention on the other. Together, they mirror a profound shift in habits that goes beyond health narratives or the language of restraint. They show how one generation remains attached to the old world, while the next approaches drinking with sharper intention.
Fear as a Driver of Change
Why, then, is this new generation less drawn to alcohol and what is behind this sudden attention to well-being? According to the Institute of Alcohol Studies, the answer lies in the pandemic. The previous generation emerged from that period craving social life and old habits. Younger people, on the other hand, experienced the very years meant for group bonding in isolation. It triggered anxieties, doubts and a redefinition of how society is lived.
Add to this a modern culture of individualism — dating apps, home delivery, endless scrolling — and the result is a cohort of future bar-goers shaped by hyper-individualistic routines, less inclined to socializing and to the pursuit of fun outside the home. Caught between zero consumption and overconsumption, between the old and the new, one question becomes harder to ignore: what will the bar look like in the not-too-distant future?
The article first appeared on Coqtail – for fine drinkers. Order your copy here
Images credits by Julie Couder, location Gesto Milano. All rights reserved
