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UK drinkers are almost twice as likely to have tried (57% vs 30%) and succeeded (46% vs 24%) in reducing their drinking when someone they know has cut back
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64% of UK drinkers are choosing to moderate their drinking for health concerns
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Drinkaware’s 2025 Monitor surveyed more than 7,000 UK adults about their drinking habits
UK drinkers are almost twice as likely to have tried (57% vs 30%) and succeeded (46% vs 24%) in reducing their drinking over the past 12 months when someone they know has cut back, according to the latest Drinkaware Annual Monitor, published today (Thursday 28 August).
The Drinkaware 2025 Monitor is the only annual UK-wide nationally representative survey that provides an insight into the UK’s drinking habits. Conducted by YouGov, this year's monitor surveyed 7,256 UK adults aged 18 to 85 from across the country.
The 2025 Monitor shows that one in five (22%) UK drinkers know someone who is trying to cut back. Of these, more than half (57%) say it has impacted their own drinking in some way, with three in ten (30%) becoming more conscious of their drinking habits and one in five (19%) feeling more comfortable to reduce their drinking.
The vast majority of UK adults continue to moderate their drinking, with 87% doing at least one type of moderation technique, a slight fall on 2024 (91%).
Better physical health is the biggest reason for drinkers moderating, 41% for better physical health, while 34% moderate to reduce long-term health risks.
Karen Tyrell, CEO of the charity Drinkaware, said:
“With nearly one in five UK drinkers still exceeding the Chief Medical Officers’ low-risk guidelines, of 14 units a week, it is important to understand what motivates people to successfully moderate their drinking.
“Our research shows that when friends or family take that step, it can be a powerful catalyst for you to do the same. Creating a ripple effect – one that empowers people to reduce their drinking.
“Harnessing these insights are crucial if we want to reduce alcohol harm, particularly as the government rightly shifts towards a more bottom-up community-led preventative approach, as outlined in the NHS Ten-Year Health Plan.
“A quick and easy way to recognise whether your drinking is impacting your health is to take the Drinkaware Drinking Check, which offers personalised advice to help people moderate their drinking.”
The Monitor is the only annual UK-wide nationally representative survey that dives into peoples’ drinking habits and behaviour. It also found:
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82% of drinkers drink within the Chief Medical Officers’ guidelines, it has been going up slowly since 2020 (when it was at 77%)
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Half (50%) of drinkers drinking above the Chief Medical Officers’ guidelines feel that they have a healthy lifestyle
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41% of UK drinkers know someone who has either stopped drinking or who is cutting back
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Almost three in ten (28%) UK adults are concerned about someone’s drinking
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One in four (26%) Gen-Z adults do not drink alcohol (vs. 16% of all UK adults), and when they do drink, they are less likely to do so weekly or more often (43% vs. 54%)
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Seven in ten (72%) people who binge drink at least once a week have tried to cut down in the last year if they know someone else who has
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Among the UK public, only smoking is considered a bigger public health burden than alcohol, (56% v 52%) when compared to issues like physical inactivity, illegal drug use, unhealthy eating.
The first step in recognising whether your drinking is impacting your health is understanding your drinking habits. One quick and simple way to do this is by taking the Drinkaware Drinking Check, which offers personalised, actionable advice to people who might benefit from cutting back.