The annual office Christmas party is normally a time of decadence, where colleagues get better acquainted with one another with the help of music, food, and, crucially, a lot of alcohol.
This year’s office Christmas parties, however, are set to do away with the booze and instead become afloat with mocktails and artisanal sodas, as bosses react to their Gen Z staffers’ new urge for temperance.
Research from events management company Togather suggests more than a fifth of the Christmas events they will be running this year are likely to be alcohol-free. The 21% of parties set to go booze-free this Christmas is an increase on the 19% figure from last year.
Togather says 74% of Gen Zers are conscious of the health impacts of alcohol, driving their bosses to accommodate them with booze-free celebrations. It will be another boon for beer suppliers, who have identified alcohol-free beverages as a lucrative growth market.
“As we look toward 2024 Christmas, it’s clear that Christmas parties are evolving in ways that align with Gen Z’s values. From larger, more inclusive events to creative, Instagrammable venues, this festive season is all about creating memorable experiences that reflect the unique, forward-thinking culture of today’s workforce,” said Abigail Gliksman, events sales executive at Togather.
“For them, it’s not just about celebrating the end of the year—it’s about doing so in style. Whether it's through alcohol-free options, modern themes, or big-budget entertainment, Christmas parties in 2024 are set to leave a lasting impression on this vibrant generation.”
The Gen Z-driven craze for temperance has been well documented in recent years, with young workers diverging from the tastes of millennials and above.
Indeed, many younger people are cutting their drinking amid heightened awareness of alcohol’s adverse effects on physical and mental health.
However, there is some disagreement about whether Gen Z is shunning booze because of the associated health benefits or because it’s just become too expensive. Many drinkers are turning to cheaper alternatives or going completely sober as a combination of high inflation and interest rates left them with less disposable income each month.
A survey of European adults aged 18-34 found two-thirds had cut back on their alcohol spending in bars and restaurants in 2023, with cost of living pressures cited as the main reason for their frugality.
“There appears to be a generational shift in attitudes towards alcohol consumption that inflationary increases have simply accelerated, rather than created,” Nikki Lavoie, EVP of marketing, brand, and innovation at Savanta, previously told Fortune.
Not everyone has been able to keep up with the changing trends of an increasingly powerful Gen Z customer base.
In February, Peter Marks, the CEO of U.K. nightclub owner Rekom, said the cost of living crisis was driving more of his customers to “pre-drink” at home in order to spend less in his clubs, meaning they arrive later and spend less when they’re there.
At the start of the year, three out of five Gen Zers said they wanted to cut back on their alcohol intake in 2024.
While an economic slowdown may be the real reason for Gen Z breaking with the older generations and embracing temperance, their employers aren’t pinching the pennies this festive season.
Together’s research finds big celebrations are on the rise, with 44% of its events catering to more than 100 guests. And while more events won’t contain alcohol, 40% of companies are increasing their overall drinks budgets compared with last year.
