- A dry January has seen sales of non-alcoholic drinks increase at companies such as Soho House.
- Soho House's CEO said the company's non-alcoholic drink sales in January saw the biggest jump on record.
- Bars have been hit hard by Dry January, with UK sales down 11.5% compared to 2023.
Dry January, an annual redemption ritual in which cocktails are temporarily swapped for non-alcoholic beverages, has become popular enough to attract the attention of Wall Street.
The head of luxury hotel and social club chain Soho House said on Friday that the company had recorded a record increase in sales of non-alcoholic drinks this Dry January. The increase came despite members spending slightly less on food and drink in the three months to January than a year earlier.
“What we saw in January was the largest increase in non-alcoholic beverage consumption we've ever seen,” Soho House CEO Andrew Carney said on the company's earnings call. “There has been a sudden increase in the number of cases,” he said.
The company did not respond to Business Insider's request for comment.
With 44 club locations from London to Bangkok, Soho House serves boozy classic cocktails, as well as a variety of 'non-alcoholic' and 'low-alcoholic' options, including virgin versions of the Old Fashioned and Moscow Mule. We offer The company also offers non-alcoholic draft beer and non-alcoholic wine, according to its website.
The Soho House brand has long prided itself on being associated with all things cool and trendy, and the low-drinking trend is no exception.
In early February, data firm Civic Science surveyed 1,500 U.S.-based adults ages 21 and older about their drinking habits.A quarter of those surveyed said they participated in this year's Dry January.
The non-alcoholic beverage market is expected to account for nearly 4% of the current $517 billion total alcohol market by 2027, according to beverage research firm ISWR.
Non-alcoholic drinks aren't just for teetotalers. Many consumers consider it an alternative to drinks. According to ISWR, Millennials are most interested in non-alcoholic beverages compared to older and younger generations.
Celebrities like Blake Lively, Katy Perry, and Bella Hadid have recently launched non-alcoholic wine and spirits lines.
The Guardian reports that January was one of the driest and darkest months for pubs across the UK as more people quit drinking and bad weather reduced footfall. According to market research firm CGA, UK bar revenue fell by 11.5% in January compared to the same period in 2023.
The trend of staying sober at the start of the year was started in 2013 by British charity Alcohol Change as a campaign to promote the benefits of cutting back on alcohol.
