A new survey from Drinkaware reveals the nation’s drinking intentions over the festive period
- Nearly three in four (73%) UK adult drinkers plan to moderate their drinking
- Meanwhile, one in four (28%) drinkers intend to drink more over Christmas but they plan to cut back in the New Year
- 43% of UK drinkers plan to reduce their drinking in the New Year
Moderation is in this Christmas, with nearly three in four (73%) UK adult drinkers intending to moderate their drinking over the festive period, according to a new survey by Drinkaware, published today (Thursday 18 December 2025).
Taking drink-free days emerged as the most popular way to cut back (21%), followed by setting a drink limit (19%), and alternating alcoholic drinks with soft drinks or water (18%).
Karen Tyrell, CEO of the charity Drinkaware, said:
“With nearly three in four of us planning ahead this Christmas, this balanced approach to our festive fun is great to see.”
“With a few simple tips we can enjoy our favourite Christmas tipples with our friends and family without taking it to excess. A good first step is understanding your own drinking habits, something you can do by taking the Drinking Check on our website.
“Sticking to the Chief Medical Officers’ guidelines of no more than 14 units a week including some drink-free days can make a big difference. Asking friends and family for support can help you stick to any plan you set, while the growing range of low and no alcohol options also makes it easier to swap out some drinks on a night out."
One in four (24%) stated that they weren’t planning to moderate their drinking during the festive period. For those drinking over the guidelines who aren’t planning to moderate, there are plenty of ways to enjoy your Christmas tipple without over doing it. Here are Drinkaware’s five top tips:
- Set a limit: To keep your risk of alcohol harm low, it’s important to set a limit. The advice is the same for men and women: drink no more than 14 units of alcohol per week, spread over three or more days with several drink-free days and no bingeing. This is roughly equivalent to six standard glasses of wine (13% ABV) or six pints of beer (4% ABV). One standard serving of spirits equals one unit of alcohol.
- Try zebra striping: Experiment with no and low-alcohol or soft drinks by alternating them with regular strength alcoholic drinks. There are now more options available than ever, from alcohol-free spirits, wines and beers to festive alcohol-free mocktails.
- Ask for support when cutting down: Let your friends and family know that you’re planning to moderate your drinking this Christmas. Having a supportive loved one that knows you’re moderating your drinking can make a big difference.
- Eat before drinking: Having a nutritious meal before heading out or starting to drink can help slow down alcohol absorption.
- Track your drinking: Keep an eye on how much you’re drinking with our free MyDrinkaware app. It helps you calculate your units, set goals, and measure your progress over time.
Encouragingly, two in five drinkers (43%) intend to cut back in the New Year. The most popular approach is to take a complete break for a period of time (27%), followed by drink-free days or keeping alcohol out of the house (24%).
Polling
This research, commissioned by Drinkaware, was carried out online by Opinion Matters throughout 28.11.2025 – 01.12.2025 amongst a panel resulting in 2,002 UK Nationally Representative Respondents Aged 18+, including 1,609 UK drinkers. All research conducted adheres to the MRS Codes of Conduct (2010) in the UK and ICC/ESOMAR World Research Guidelines. Opinion Matters is registered with the Information Commissioner's Office and is fully compliant with the Data Protection Act (1998).