Christmas and New Year celebrations have often ended with a hangover the next day, but now, in moderation, the drink industry's new buzzword – 'rolling' – is the order of the day.
This involves choosing a white wine, lager, or even a cocktail that's about half the strength of the traditional version of the drink. This means you can drink the same number of drinks without feeling worse.
Vanessa Pearson, trade manager at Ocado Retail beer, wine and spirits, believes that “couting” has led to a “huge increase in customer interest in mid-strength wine.” Sales of these types of wines grew 4,000% in 2025 as the nascent wine category gained traction.
As the name suggests, “medium strength” drinks occupy a middle ground between no- and low-alcohol (nolo) and standard options. There is no exact industry definition yet, but beer and cider contain around 2–3% alcohol by volume, wines 3–9%, and spirits 15–20%.
The advent of inertial transport echoes data showing Britons are drinking less alcohol than before. The average British adult consumed 10.2 alcoholic drinks per week in 2024, according to the latest data from drinks company IWSR.
This is the lowest level since data collection began in 1990 and less than two decades ago, when they drank 14 drinks a week. However, despite the decline in consumption, abstinence rates are not increasing, suggesting that more cautious abstinence from alcohol consumption has led to this trend.
Along with other major supermarkets, Ocado is tapping into the country's changing drinking culture by offering more mid-strength brands, including La Felicite rosé (9%), Nice Session sauvignon blanc (3.4%) and Quarter Proof gin (15%), as well as Nolo variants.
Ocado and Waitrose have reported an increase in shoppers searching for nolo brands on their websites ahead of the holidays.
Popular searches include Botivo, a British non-alcoholic aperitif in the style of Italian classics such as Campari and Aperol, and Mother Root, a fiery non-alcoholic aperitif with ginger. There's also buzz around Bero, a new beer brand co-founded by the Spider-Man actor. Tom Holland.
Waitrose drinks buyer Sarah Holland says people still want the “bright flavours” of Nolo drinks. 'They want more than just gin alternatives – options like Mother Root and Botivo are selling very well.” Sales of mocktails and canned wines are also “booming,” she said. To meet this demand, the company recently added Jukes 8 sparkling rosé wine and Paloma Pentire mocktail to its shelves.
To bring mid-strength drinks into the mainstream, a group of specialty beverage brands, including Club Soda, Quarter Proof, Gentle Wines and Small Beer, have formed the “Mid-Strength Collective.”
A survey of drinking habits commissioned by him found that 21% of consumers still drink alcohol, but drink fewer drinks each time. Another 13% “float” in the evenings, and 6% “striped zebra” (alternating alcoholic, medium-strength and non-alcoholic drinks within one dose).
“The way consumers interact with alcohol is changing,” said Blake Gladman, director of strategy and analytics at consultancy Kam. in the report.
“While some consumers are opting for non-alcoholic alternatives, a growing segment sees mid-strength alcohol as the ideal middle ground,” Gladman said, suggesting it “allows them to expand their social experience without compromising on taste, quality and experience.”
