Illustration photo – Girls at the Glastonbury festival, which takes place at Worthy Farm near Pilton in the south west of England.
London – Mud, leaky tents and excessive partying used to be part and parcel of British music festivals. Given that their target group is now generation Z, i.e. people born between 1997 and 2012, the organizers have to adapt and offer non-alcoholic beer and a disciplined atmosphere, wrote The Times newspaper.
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“Alcohol is not necessarily considered cool with younger groups,” said John Rostron, head of the Association of Independent Festivals (AIF), which represents more than 100 events in Britain. “When I was much younger, it would have been quite difficult for me to go out and not drink. I think that's not quite the case these days,” he added. drinks, more than ever before, Rostron said. Carlsberg, whose Brooklyn Pilsner has been named the official beer of this year's Glastonbury, said temperance is now more fashionable than ever.
Demand for soft drinks at various events, including festivals, surged last summer and younger generations “are one of the key demographics” buying them, said John Clements, who heads marketing at Carlsberg.
Part of the reason for Gen Z's frugality is the fact that party experiences rarely stay with partygoers. Older generations have only hazy memories of youthful escapades, but Rostron believes the perpetuation of a night out on social media has made it increasingly difficult for young people to cut loose.
“When people have a smartphone in their hand all the time , they want to maintain some control over how they look,” Rostron said. “Not drinking at all or less ensures that your mistakes or embarrassing experiences of loss of inhibitions do not get out,” he added.
Another reason is the rising cost of living. Most festivals set a limit on the amount of alcohol that visitors can bring with them. Expensive drinks at the bar can put younger people off having more than a few beers.
Organisers of this month's Parklife festival in Manchester found that one in three fans arrived at the event with the intention of not drinking alcohol. “It's the first time we've had three non-alcoholic beers on the menu. Would that have happened ten years ago? No. You'd go to a festival to get drunk,” festival co-founder Sacha Lord said.
The UK's biggest drinking study of alcohol in 2019 found that among people between the ages of 16 and 25 there are the most abstainers. A survey conducted by DrinkAware found that 26 percent of Gen Zers do not drink. On the other hand, people between the ages of 55 and 74 drink the most alcohol.
25-year-old Hannah Cox stopped drinking about a year and a half ago after realizing that alcohol and poor-quality sleep had a strong effect on her. She finds going to events sober no less fun than when she was drinking. “I like that now I remember everything from the night before and I don't say anything to be embarrassed about the next day,” she said.
