Katie Fellowes is senior vice president of strategic insights at Curion. Opinions are the author’s own.
Every January, Americans swear off alcohol. Or at least, they used to. The latest research shows something far more interesting — and far more consequential for brands, retailers and anyone paying attention to cultural change.
Nearly one in four U.S. adults who drink alcohol say they are participating in Dry January or its increasingly popular cousin, Damp January. But calling this a temporary abstinence trend misses the point. What’s emerging is not a month-long cleanse, but a broader renegotiation of how alcohol fits into people’s lives — and whether it needs to be there at all.
Based on a comprehensive survey of 1,869 U.S. adults conducted by Curion in late December 2025, it’s clear that January moderation has evolved into a nuanced wellness movement. Consumers are no longer asking, “Can I go 30 days without drinking?” They’re asking, “How do I feel when I drink less — and what do I replace it with?”
Damp January isn’t a cop-out — it’s a strategy
For years, Dry January has been framed as the gold standard of willpower. But our data suggests that Damp January participants may actually be more intentional — and more future-oriented.
Those choosing moderation over abstinence are significantly more motivated by physical health, weight and fitness, and mental clarity than their Dry January counterparts. On average, participants cite nearly three reasons for cutting back, with physical health (56%), mental clarity and mood (44%), and habit reset (43%) leading the way.
Consumers are discovering that cutting back — rather than cutting out — delivers many of the benefits they want without the sense of punishment that historically doomed “all or nothing” wellness challenges. Damp January isn’t a compromise; it’s a sustainable behavior shift.
While only a minority of participants (16%) say they are using Dry or Damp January to explicitly evaluate their relationship with alcohol, this small segment punches far above its weight.
These consumers are more than twice as likely to choose non-alcoholic spirits, wine, or mocktails. What they are really shopping for isn’t sobriety — it’s continuity. They want products that preserve ritual, taste, and social identity without alcohol itself.
This group represents a critical growth engine for the nonalcoholic category. The demand isn’t for less alcohol, but for better alternatives — products that allow people to show up at dinner parties, bars, and celebrations without feeling like they opted out of the experience.
Dry January means different things for different consumers
Nearly half of 18 to 34 year olds report choosing at least one nonalcoholic beer, wine, spirit or mocktail. For them, January is about experimentation and ritual replacement. Alcohol reduction is active, curious, and identity-driven.
Older consumers, particularly those aged 55 to 64, are far less interested in substitutes. Their approach is simpler: drink less, fewer occasions, fewer calories. Same outcome, different mindset.
A similar trend plays out between men and women. Both are participating in Dry and Damp January at similar rates — but they are not approaching it the same way.
Women are significantly more likely to tie January moderation to weight and fitness goals and to choose alcohol-like alternatives. For many, cutting back isn’t a challenge to endure, but an act of holistic self -care that connects physical health, mental clarity, and enjoyment.
This distinction in all these cases matter. Brands chasing a one-size-fits-all “Dry January” message risk missing how sharply motivations diverge by life stage.
What brands should know going forward
Consumers are signaling they want intentionality, flexibility and pleasure without excess. They don’t want lectures. They don’t want sacrifice. And they certainly don’t want to be told that moderation is somehow “less committed.”
For beverage brands, retailers and wellness marketers, the takeaway is clear: the future belongs to those who understand that drinking culture is no longer binary. The real opportunity lies in supporting how people want to feel — not just what they want to give up.
And as more consumers reduce their alcohol intake, they’re actively switching to alternatives that deliver ritual, sophistication and choice. The winning brands should look to communicate their products with the same care, storytelling and social relevance as alcohol itself.
We live in a world where intentional drinking, shelf space, menu placement and messaging matters more than ever, because consumer moderation isn’t abstinence for one month anymore.
January may have sparked the movement. But the behavior shift is here to stay.
