Dry January Drinks / Dry January
Dry JanuaryDry January by the numbers
17.5 million people planned a dry January 2026. Who takes part, why, and what it does for drinking six months on.
Updated By the Dry January Drinks team
Almost one in three UK adults (32%) told Alcohol Change UK they planned a month off alcohol in January 2026, about 17.5 million people. Their top reasons were saving money, health, losing weight, mental wellbeing and fitness.
The month seems to stick. University of Sussex research found Dry January participants were still drinking less six months later, and felt more in control of their drinking.
What changed in 2026
Supermarket sales of low and no-alcohol beer grew 2.8% in the four weeks to 24 January 2026, against 15.4% over the full year, according to NIQ data reported by The Grocer. The trade reads that as people buying alcohol-free all year round, not just in January.
Younger drinkers are taking fewer months off. IWSR found the share of UK Gen Z drinkers who had taken a month or more off fell from 33% in autumn 2024 to 24% in autumn 2025. Many of them simply drink less all year: the Health Survey for England found 35% of 16 to 24-year-olds drank no alcohol in 2024.
Plan the fridge first
The people who finish the month tend to plan it. Pick a beer, a gin alternative and a fizz before 1 January, so there is always something to reach for. Our Dry January ranking covers all three.
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Sources
- Alcohol Change UK: the UK brings a Jan-do attitude to 2026
- University of Sussex: participants still drinking less six months later
- The Grocer: Dry January trend fades as low and no sales growth slows
- IWSR: Gen Z interest in month-long abstinence stalls
- The Telegraph: one in three Gen Z do not drink alcohol
Long reads
What actually happens in 30 days without alcohol
The best-known study of a month off measured blood pressure, weight and insulin resistance before and after. Here is what it found.
Read the article
Why people sleep better without alcohol
Seven in ten Dry January participants say they slept better. Here is what the surveys found, and what to drink in the evening instead.
Read the article
Alcohol-free spirits and fizz: the fastest-growing shelf
Tesco says alcohol-free spirit sales are up 17% in a year. Premium bottles that taste closest to the real thing are leading.
Read the article
How to host a party where nobody misses the alcohol
A beer, a fizz, a gin alternative and something interesting. What to buy, how much, and what it costs.
Read the articleRelated sites
- 30 days sober: what happens: What a month off does
- Best alcohol-free drinks by occasion: Drinks by occasion
- Best alcohol-free beer in the UK: Beer only