Men rethink the pint as Dry January 2026 begins
As January 2026 kicks into gear, millions of UK men are preparing to put the cork back in the bottle for a month. New research suggests the shift is less about puritanism and more about pragmatism.
Fresh data from Alcohol Change UK reveals deep-seated pressures around male drinking culture while pointing to opportunities for the drinks trade to meet changing expectations.
According to new research released ahead of the 2026 Dry January challenge, 8.7 million men in the UK plan to take a month off alcohol at the start of the year. The figures lift the lid on how drinking is often less a choice than a social obligation, especially among men in midlife.
Mirroring the Health Survey for England, almost twice as many men surveyed in the past six months exceeded the chief medical officers’ low risk guideline of 14 units a week, with 36% of men compared with 20% of women. As reported by the charity, 57% of men say they feel pressure to drink alcohol versus 45% of women, with those aged 35 to 54 far more likely to feel that pressure than younger or older groups. Friends remain the main source of that nudge towards another round.
Dr Jeevan Fernando, the official Dry January doctor for 2026, told the drinks business that this social pull often outweighs longer-term health considerations. “For many people, alcohol is seen as a vital ingredient to being social with their peers and loved ones. So our choices about drinking are much more influenced by the immediate social value of alcohol than the health risks that come with it.”
He told db that the constant visibility of alcohol in everyday life can make moderation harder to sustain. “The presence of alcohol is normalised and everywhere we turn, from our streets to our screens. The messaging that we receive from the media and our environment often underestimate the negative impact of alcohol, making it harder to cut down on our consumption.”
Generational gaps open up
The research also exposes a generational split that may interest brand owners and operators. Just a quarter of men aged 35 and over took a month off alcohol in January 2025, compared with 52% of those aged 18 to 34, despite older men being more likely to drink in ways that harm their health and wellbeing.
This reluctance is not born of blissful ignorance. In the last year, over a quarter of men have felt regret about something they did or said while drinking and 35% have become concerned about the long-term damage alcohol may be doing, as per the survey findings. Physical health, fitness and appearance are the areas men most often say are negatively affected.
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Fernando said that even modest changes can bring tangible benefits. “People who cut back, even a little, are often surprised by the improvements to their health and wellbeing. That’s why it’s crucial people know that they don’t have to quit alcohol completely to benefit – reducing consumption is positive at any level.”
Dr Richard Piper, CEO of Alcohol Change UK, told db that Dry January is designed to help people regain control rather than abandon alcohol altogether. “It works because it’s a temporary, supported reset rather than an all-or-nothing approach to drinking. The 31-day break interrupts habits that often run on autopilot and helps us get back to controlled, moderate, low risk drinking.”
Why men are pressing pause
Among the 33% of men planning a dry January in 2026, the leading motivations are finances, feeling healthier and improving mental health and wellbeing. Over a fifth of men say they are keen to cut back on alcohol across the whole of next year rather than simply abstaining for a month.
Fernando believes that Dry January works because it disrupts habitual drinking patterns. “This is why the Dry January challenge is so effective, because it gives us a circuit breaker that helps us drink less year-round. Over 70% of people who complete the Dry January challenge have significantly lower alcohol consumption even 6 months after the challenge.”
He said that the month encourages people to maintain social routines without defaulting to alcohol. “It encourages us to do all the things we normally do, just without the alcohol. Once we realise that alcohol isn’t necessary all the time, we can consciously choose when to drink rather than just pouring a glass out of habit.”
Meanwhile, Piper told db that participants continue socialising throughout the month, which helps embed longer-term change. “By continuing to go out, meet friends and take part in normal routines during January, people actively practise new behaviours and learn strategies for managing their consumption and making alcohol an active choice, not a default.”
Not the end for bars
For the drinks industry, this need not read as an obituary. January has long been a quiet month and the rise of mindful drinking offers space for better low and no options and a renewed focus on quality over quantity. Younger drinkers already show that abstinence can sit alongside sociability rather than replace it.
Among men who gave up alcohol in January 2025, the most common takeaways were feeling healthier, developing discipline and feeling happier. As more men look to manage their relationship with alcohol rather than abandon it entirely, there is room for hospitality to remain central to social life while adapting to a clientele that wants choice without judgement.
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