For years, the conversation around drinking has focused on one question: how can consumers drink less alcohol? According to new research from IWSR, the conversation is now evolving. A rapidly growing category known as Alcohol Adjacents is attracting younger consumers who are not simply looking for less alcohol – they are looking for different experiences, different feelings and different ways to enjoy social occasions.

Summary

• IWSR reports Alcohol Adjacents are growing faster than many traditional no-alcohol categories.
• Gen Z and Millennials account for more than 75% of consumers in the category.
• Consumers buy Alcohol Adjacents for mood, atmosphere and experience.
• Popular search trends increasingly revolve around feelings and occasions.
• FEELABLES may represent the next stage of the category.

What Are Alcohol Adjacents?

• A rapidly growing beverage category.
• Different from traditional alcohol-free drinks.Focused on experience rather than alcohol reduction.

According to IWSR, Alcohol Adjacents include products such as CBD drinks, nootropic beverages, adaptogenic drinks, sparkling tea, botanical alternatives and other functional beverages targeted at adults.

Unlike traditional alcohol-free beer or alcohol-free wine, these products are not necessarily trying to imitate alcohol. Instead, they create entirely new drinking occasions and experiences.

IWSR describes the category as one of the most exciting opportunities within the broader No & Low movement. While no-alcohol products continue to dominate overall sales volumes, Alcohol Adjacents are growing rapidly as consumers become more interested in alternatives that fit modern lifestyles.

What makes the category especially interesting is that consumers are not approaching it purely from a health perspective. Instead, they are exploring products that fit specific moods, occasions and social experiences.

For the first time, a significant number of consumers are actively searching for products that sit somewhere between traditional alcohol and traditional soft drinks.

Why Is This Category Growing So Fast?

• Younger consumers are driving demand.
• People want more than alcohol-free.
• Consumers increasingly search for experiences.

According to IWSR’s No & Low Strategic Study 2025, Alcohol Adjacent volumes are projected to grow by 11% in 2025. This is faster than many traditional no-alcohol segments.

Even more interesting is who is buying these products.

IWSR reports that Millennials and Gen Z account for more than three quarters of the Alcohol Adjacent consumer base. Across the world’s leading No & Low markets, consumption incidence has risen to 19%, while among Gen Z consumers it reaches approximately 30%.

This reflects broader consumer behaviour visible across search engines.

People rarely search for:

• “healthy beverage”

Instead they search for:

• “best summer cocktail”
• “mocktail recipes”
• “espresso martini”
• “aperol spritz”
• “party drinks”
• “drinks for energy”
• “drinks for relaxing”
• “feel good drinks”

Consumers are increasingly searching for outcomes and experiences rather than ingredients.

Consumers Are Not Looking For Less. They Are Looking For More.

• Mood is becoming more important.
• Social occasions remain central.
• Experience drives purchasing decisions.

Perhaps the most important insight from the IWSR research is the motivation behind purchases.

The report states:

“Consumers are more likely to use them to replicate the effects of alcohol, using their functional benefits for unwinding, an alcohol-like buzz, or mood enhancement.”

This statement changes the conversation entirely.

For years, the beverage industry has focused on removing things:

• Less alcohol
• Less sugar
• Less calories

But consumers are increasingly asking a different question:

“What does this drink add to my experience?”

This is visible everywhere.

Champagne is associated with celebration and excitement.

Aperol Spritz is associated with summer terraces and social connection.

An Espresso Martini is associated with energy and nightlife.

Even mocktails are often chosen because they preserve the ritual and atmosphere of a cocktail occasion.

People are not buying occasions.

They are buying feelings.

The Market Opportunity Nobody Is Talking About

• The category remains relatively small.
• Innovation is accelerating.
• Supply still lags behind consumer curiosity.

Despite strong growth, the Alcohol Adjacent category remains relatively underdeveloped compared to traditional alcohol.

Consumers can choose between thousands of beers, wines, spirits and cocktails. Yet when they look for products designed around specific social experiences, the options become much more limited.

IWSR highlights categories such as:

• CBD drinks
• Adaptogenic beverages
• Nootropic drinks
• Botanical alternatives
• Sparkling tea

However, relatively few products are specifically designed around nightlife, social rituals, celebrations and party occasions.

This creates a significant opportunity.

As younger consumers continue searching for alternatives that fit their lifestyles, demand is likely to expand far beyond traditional alcohol-free products.

The next generation of beverages may be built around moments, occasions and feelings rather than alcohol content alone.

Why VOODOO Believes FEELABLES Are Part of the Answer

• Consumers want atmosphere.
• Consumers want connection.
• Consumers want experiences.

At VOODOO, we believe one of the most important findings in the IWSR report is that consumers are not simply looking for less alcohol.

They are looking for alternative experiences.

This belief sits at the heart of the FEELABLES category.

Rather than focusing exclusively on what is removed, FEELABLES focus on what consumers are actually seeking:

Social connection
Participation
Ritual
Atmosphere
Memorable moments

As categories such as Alcohol Adjacents continue to grow, we expect consumers to become increasingly interested in products that help create experiences rather than simply replacing alcohol.

Explore the emerging FEELABLES category via the VOODOO Shop.

Conclusion

The latest IWSR research confirms that the future of drinking is evolving beyond traditional alcohol and beyond traditional alcohol-free products.

Alcohol Adjacents are growing because consumers want more than moderation. They want products that fit their lifestyle, their mood and their social occasions.

As search trends increasingly revolve around experiences, feelings and moments rather than alcohol content, categories such as Alcohol Adjacents and FEELABLES are positioned to play an increasingly important role in the future of social drinking.