Is Gen Z Really Drinking Less? The Data Behind a More Complicated Story

Behind the Pour

Spirits marketer Rohan K. Duggal joins Crystal and Roger for a conversation about one of the most discussed — and most misunderstood — narratives in the beverage industry right now: the claim that Gen Z is walking away from alcohol. Duggal's argument is more specific than a trend headline. The generation is not abstaining en masse; it is changing what brands have to earn to get attention, and what occasions actually create demand. The episode runs 41 minutes because the answer turns out to be genuinely complicated.

What You'll Discover

• The headline is too simple: Market research from IWSR's 2025 survey found participation among legal-drinking-age Gen Z consumers actually increasing in several markets. A 2026 U.S. analysis found younger legal-age adults helping stabilize total beverage alcohol even as older consumers pulled back. Neither finding means every young adult drinks — it means the data does not support a single narrative.
• RTDs and how they change the occasion map: Ready-to-drink beverages meet occasions where portability, portion size, and ease matter. IWSR has tracked how RTDs are reshaping seasonal purchase patterns in the U.S. Rohan's point is practical: distribution gets you placed; it does not create demand. Brands still need pricing discipline, inventory management, and content that communicates a genuine reason to choose them.
• Participation is not the same as volume: A person can enter the category, drink occasionally, and still consume less than an older frequent drinker. Market studies distinguish participation, frequency, volume, spend, and beverage type. Conflating them produces bad business decisions.
• Reading generational claims carefully: Check who was surveyed, whether respondents were of legal drinking age, which country is represented, and whether the measure is past-month use, annual participation, spending, or stated intent. Separate commercial opportunity from health guidance.

A Moment of Pourspective

The most dangerous trend in the spirits industry is the one that got oversimplified. A generation that drinks smarter is not a generation that doesn't drink. Know the difference before you make a business decision.

Explore the Conversation

The Gen Z episode is a 41-minute investment in thinking more clearly about a narrative that has driven a lot of reactive decision-making in the beverage industry. Rohan Duggal comes to the conversation as a working marketer, not a headline writer, and the specificity of his claims separates this episode from the trend-piece take. The NIAAA data provides a public health counterpoint: 47.5% of U.S. adults ages 18 to 25 drank in the past month (2024 National Survey on Drug Use and Health), and 26.7% reported binge drinking. Those numbers answer different questions from a brand's sales dashboard, and Duggal's point is that both are real and both need to be held at the same time. Crystal and Roger's format works well for this kind of macro conversation — they are not economists, and their questions come from genuine curiosity rather than academic framing. The result is a conversation that stays accessible while building real complexity.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Who is Rohan K. Duggal? Rohan K. Duggal is a spirits marketing professional who appeared on TLC to discuss Gen Z drinking behaviors, RTDs, distribution, and brand funding in the current market.
• What is IWSR? IWSR Drinks Market Analysis is a leading global research organization tracking alcohol and non-alcohol beverage trends. Their data is used throughout the industry for market planning.
• Is the decline in drinking among young people real? The picture is more complex than a simple decline. Participation rates vary significantly by country, age bracket within the generation, and occasion type. Some measures show declines; others show growth. IWSR and NIAAA data tell different parts of the story.
• What are RTDs in the spirits context? Ready-to-drink beverages are pre-mixed cocktails or spirit-based drinks in single-serve packaging. They have become one of the fastest-growing segments in the beverage industry globally.

Episode at a Glance

• Guest: Rohan K. Duggal (spirits marketing professional)
• Hosts: Crystal and Roger
• Runtime: 41 minutes, 3 seconds
• Category: Industry
• Topic: Gen Z drinking behavior, RTDs, brand distribution, and spirits marketing