Deaths caused by alcohol have fallen to their lowest level since 2021 as sales of zero per cent beverages soar and younger people avoid drinking altogether. Figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show there were 9,809 alcohol-related deaths in the UK in 2024, 664 fewer than the year before. This amounted to 14.8 deaths per 100,000 people, the lowest rate since 2020, and a significant drop over 2023's record 15.9 per 100,000 people.
Gen-Z Driving Moderation
Matt Lambert, CEO of alcohol trade body the Portman Group, said the fall is partly due to widespread abstention by Gen-Z - people aged 14 to 29. 'These statistics feed into a wider trend across generations towards increased moderation and responsible drinking,' he said. 'Our annual YouGov survey results show a clear and sustained shift in drinking attitudes among Gen-Z, with 43 per cent now identifying as non-drinkers, up significantly from 2020.' Lambert added that low and no alcohol products are no longer seen as niche, with affordability and the ability to socialise without drinking excessively being key drivers behind this shift.
Surge in Low and No Alcohol Sales
Separate data from the British Beer and Pub Association shows sales of no- and low-alcohol beer, wines and spirits have soared 870 per cent since 2013, with nine in 10 pubs now offering at least one zero per cent option. Sarah Holland, drinks buyer at Waitrose, said the supermarket's 'low and no' category saw a 'significant surge' last summer. 'The "sober curious" movement is growing, showing a trend towards well-being-focused drinking that doesn't compromise on flavour or social connection,' she said. 'This shift is undoubtedly driven by the increasing availability of premium non-alcoholic beverages that offer the same complexity and enjoyment as their alcoholic counterparts.'
Regional Variations and Concerns
However, experts said deaths from alcohol, such as alcoholic liver disease, still need to be slashed further. Scotland and Northern Ireland continued to have the highest rates in the UK at 20.9 and 21.4 deaths per 100,000 people respectively. The English region with the highest rate - 21.1 deaths per 100,000 - was the North East, followed by the North West with 16.8 and the West Midlands with 16.5. London had the lowest rate at 10.9 deaths per 100,000, followed by the East of England (11.0) and the South East (11.1).
Karen Tyrell, CEO at alcohol charity Drinkaware, said: 'While trends towards moderation are positive, more than eight million adults across the UK still regularly drink above the Chief Medical Officers' low-risk guidelines of 14 units a week.' Dr Katherine Severi, chief executive at the Institute of Alcohol Studies, said: 'Alcohol deaths remain at a deeply unacceptable level and we cannot allow that to become normal. These deaths were unacceptably high before the pandemic. They rose sharply during it. A modest reduction is not cause for complacency - it is cause for redoubling efforts.'
Professor Sir Ian Gilmore, chairman at the Alcohol Health Alliance, said deaths 'remain far too high'. 'It is a stark reminder that alcohol harm continues to devastate thousands of families and communities across every year,' he added. Dr Richard Piper, chief executive of Alcohol Change UK, called for the Government to take action on cheap, high-strength drinks. 'Behind these figures are real families,' he said. 'A drop in alcohol-specific deaths is good news but must not lull any of us, including the Government, into a false sense of security about alcohol harm in the UK. While the Government has ambitious national plans to tackle issues like smoking and cancer, it's falling short on meaningful policies to prevent alcohol harm. This needs to change.'
