Are Young Australians Really Drinking Less? We Asked Them.

Late last year, we released an in-depth investigation into “How Alcohol Lost it’s Cool.” Young people, it seemed, were trading in their borderline-alcoholic, binge-drinking persona’s for something a bit less chaotic, and less body destroying. 

People said they didn’t have time for hangovers, they were working more and making less and their drugs of choice were changing. They were also growing up in an age where the internet allowed a more attuned grasp of the overall health hazards of chucking down a few shots every weekend. But a lot of this data came from the UK.

In Australia, a strong drinking culture is part of our national character, bonding us together in a warped sense of Australianism. In fact, in 2021, Australia was crowned the drunkest country in the world, trumping European countries like Denmark and Finland (who appeared second and third). Drinking has, for the past few decades, cemented a certain aspect of Australia's sense of belonging. 

So when it comes to Australian youth, are they really drinking less?

Well, according to official reports covering the last couple of decades: yes. Australian’s have basically been on a sharp decline since the early 2000’s. But why? And are young people privy to this information? Well, we asked them.

J*, 19: Most of the people I’m friends with are fairly new friends, but most of them have definitely started binge drinking less. When I first met them they would get pretty much black out drunk, every time we went out, and that’s definitely been happening a lot less. However they do drink more consistently than me, often every day.

Martino, 23: Kinda, yes, I think people just don’t wanna get smashed on a regular basis. People mature, again the price is higher. Idk if people are drinking less, but more moderately.

Max, 22: Alcohol consumption with mates has probably stayed the same. I’ve come into a new friendship group post-covid but based on how they speak about past experiences, not much has changed by way of consumption. I think this is just the type of people they are and I can’t make many observations on them from this.

Antonio Serpentine, 21: From my experience, I have seen the opposite. For most of the time I have spent with these friends, we have been surrounded by alcohol.

Naomi, 23: Not really. Most of my friends have maintained their standard intake over the past few years.

J*: COVID definitely played a big part in my alcohol consumption, because I wasn’t able to go out when I first turned 18 and this is probably the first year that I’ve had the freedom to go out to clubs and bars. Especially because I don’t like drinking at home.

Martino: 1000%. 2020-2021 was just drugs and alcohol every day. So I also think, because of that, now everyone’s kinda eased up a bit.

Max: Yeah, I definitely think COVID lockdowns had a big influence on the way young people consume alcohol. Probably because they’ve found out about ketamine *lol*. But nah, it could be because of the lockdowns, that younger kids missed out on the house party era of their lives and saw no appeal in alcohol.

Naomi: I think it played a part, but I don’t think it’s the sole factor that drinking habits have shifted amongst young people. I find a lot of people in their early 20s are comfortable not drinking at all, whereas maybe they used to be more easily pressured or use substances as a social crutch.

J*: Growing up, a lot of my friends did quite a bit of MD. I never did but that was definitely most of my friends' drug of choice. Now, we mostly just drink going out, but for bigger events or when offered we definitely all prefer or seek out ket. Otherwise it’s mostly just weed and alcohol. I definitely think the most popular drugs on casual nights out are ket or coke.

Martino: I just smoke weed pretty much. And the odd ket or psychedelic, maybe Valium. Not big on bricks or coke, MD ect. But I feel it’s very varied. Everyone has their own mix of what they like. And I feel it’s been pretty consistent for a while. But I think people are getting off weed a bit. Weed’s been rinsed.

Max: My friendship group regularly (weekly) consume cocaine but that always comes after a fair few drinks and the alcohol doesn’t cut it anymore. It doesn’t help that a few of us are always in high supply of it constantly. Lmao.

Naomi: I’m definitely a kush gal, I’ve dabbled in what goes around in typical party scenes, but I’ve pretty much ditched everything (including liquor) besides weed. I’m also from Aotearoa, having moved here in 2019, but I’ve found that Australians tend to loooove ket and coke, which still tends to be the case for a lot of my peers.

J*: ​​I think that studies have noticed a decrease mostly just because of the inability to go out. Just based on what I’ve observed being young, but also working at a pub and a club, everyone still drinks heaps on nights out. There was just quite awhile when people couldn’t go out.

Martino: I suppose because of the price, the culture. Same with cigarettes. Less people smoking cigarettes, less people drinking alcohol, probably just gets swapped for a different substance which is probably far less damaging to your body.

Naomi: I think because of Australia having such a culture of binge drinking from a really young age, a lot of Gen Zers have been through and come out of their heavy drinking stages instead of treating it as a lifestyle. I also think socialisation amongst Gen Zers is like, the lowest of any generation, and so the lil introverts just spend time online instead of partying

J*: Alcohol definitely plays a big role in social events for me. My friends are all pretty big drinkers, so there’s often a bit of pressure that I put on myself to drink a lot, or more than I necessarily want to, because I feel left out of the fun if I’m not as pissed as everyone else.

Martino: Not really, personally, most people tend to be drinking but it doesn’t feel like it’s a necessity. Especially because prices at events and festivals are so high there’s less stigma towards not drinking.

Max: Yeah, literally everywhere I go can’t be experienced without at least one drink. Nowadays, I’m fairly anxious talking to people if I haven’t had a couple.

Antonio Serpentine*: Alcohol plays a part in most social events I go to. Most of my friends don't have places where people can come over and there aren’t many public spaces designed just to hang out in. Bars and pubs are some of the only inviting places where we can get together.

Naomi: No. Festivals are messy, gotta stay sober for them.

J*: I never really drank much underage, my anxiety surrounding it was always too overwhelming for it to be worth it. I would say since being 18 my drinking has been pretty consistent. I’m really good at stopping myself when I feel like I’m getting too drunk. I pretty much always have a 6-8 drink maximum when I go out, and I never really drink except when I’m going out.

Martino: I have started to drink more than I used to, but that’s more due to the fact that I’m appreciating its taste more, like spirits and things you sip slowly. I still do not like wine.

Max: I feel consumption for me throughout the past few years has increased, it’d get to 4:30/5:00 and my parents and I would have a drink (either bubbles or beer) and a few more with dinner. I’d then be in my upstairs living room and have 2/3 mixed spirits/cocktails of some sort. Looking back now that was a fair bit to have so often for such a prolonged period.

Antonio Serpentine*, 21: Starting Uni last year has massively impacted my drinking. I don’t drink alone, and turning 18 just before COVID meant that until now I hadn't been able to go out much. Currently, I am fortunate to study for a degree with a cohort full of like-minded people. 

Naomi: Yes, heavily! Used to drink multiple times a week, now I can't think of anything worse.

We’ve got the thoughts of a few young people – but what about someone who’s actually selling the booze. Are the drinks still flying off their shelves? Or have they noticed a change too? We asked our friend, Alex Webster, who owns the bottle shop, Milkhead Beers, in Melbourne.

Alex: Definitely, I think it’s a clear trend that alcohol consumption is on a downward curve across the board. Older generations still continue to drink the most, but in a sort of post COVID world even they’re trying to slow it down after an especially aggressive period of cooking it at home through lockdowns. 

Younger people, though, definitely drink the least. I feel it’s ultimately got a lot to do with wellness being much more a part of the modern psyche and consuming large amounts of alcohol doesn’t align itself to that. Younger people are more drawn towards alcoholic drinks with low calories, lower alcoholic content and of course the ever growing non-alcoholic movement isn’t showing any signs of slowing down.

I do think, however, we’re seeing a new trend of buying habits from younger people when it comes to alcohol. We see it especially in the “natural” or “LoFi” wine movement, which already with descriptors like “natural” communicates a healthier lifestyle, and of course with the modern craft beer movement. 

It’s the idea of people buying better but buying less. Nowadays people like to go to a bottle shop and buy a funky orange wine or a crazy sour beer. These products tend to be more premium due to the process, the fact they’re made by a small producer and that they’re offering something different. I feel like younger people are more drawn to all of that along with the experience of the drink more than the effects.

I think this is a really healthy shift of attitude towards alcohol and for the larger market. These kinds of premium products tend to be stocked by more independent retailers due to the fact that larger conglomerates don’t want to touch them based on price and the fact that many smaller producers don’t want to work with them, either. There’s now a larger rise of independent retailers who are gladly filling the gaps and meeting the demand. It's still a young movement but it’s showing healthy growth and I for one am happy to be a part of that movement.

 Follow Julie Fenwick on Twitter and Instagram.

Read more from VICE Australia and subscribe to our weekly newsletter, This Week Online.