Reports those born between 1997 and 2012 are ditching clean-living ways don’t tell whole story, say experts
Gen Z have long been hailed as “generation sensible” – dozens of articles have charted how they drink less alcohol, exercise more, eat a more healthy diet and have ditched night clubs for book clubs.
But could that be about to change? Recent data has shown the proportion of gen Z – those born roughly between 1997 and 2012 – who are of legal drinking age and have consumed alcohol in the past six months has increased by 7% between 2024 and 2025.
Alcopops are apparently all the rage among gen Z customers, with booming sales of Smirnoff Ice, Bacardi Breezers and BuzzBallz, while last year’s “brat summer” was said to herald the end of the clean-living era.
The reality, experts say, is more complicated.
