Going Dry? Doesn't Matter Why. Heineken® 0.0's New Campaign Says Alcohol-Free Should Be Reason-Free
Heineken® (HEINY) has released findings from a new anthropological study conducted with Oxford Professor Charles Spence, surveying 11,842 adults across five markets. The research reveals that despite growing acceptance of non-alcoholic beverages, social pressures around alcohol consumption persist, particularly among Gen Z.
Key findings show that 21% of Gen Z have been questioned about choosing non-alcoholic drinks, with over one-third feeling pressured to drink alcohol in social situations. The study also found that 51% of people have consumed alcohol despite planning not to, often due to social pressure. However, positive trends emerge with half of participants noting increased acceptance of low/no-alcohol options compared to five years ago.
In response, Heineken® launches its '0.0 Reasons Needed' campaign, aiming to normalize alcohol-free choices and combat social stigmas. The campaign, featuring new TV commercials, will air globally in January 2025.
Heineken® (HEINY) ha pubblicato i risultati di un nuovo studio antropologico condotto con il professor Charles Spence di Oxford, intervistando 11.842 adulti in cinque mercati. La ricerca rivela che, nonostante una crescente accettazione delle bevande analcoliche, le pressioni sociali riguardanti il consumo di alcol persistono, particolarmente tra i Gen Z.
I risultati chiave mostrano che il 21% dei Gen Z è stato interrogato sulla scelta di bevande analcoliche, con oltre un terzo che si sente sotto pressione per bere alcolici in situazioni sociali. Lo studio ha anche rilevato che il 51% delle persone ha consumato alcol nonostante avesse pianificato di non farlo, spesso a causa della pressione sociale. Tuttavia, emergono trend positivi, con la metà dei partecipanti che notano un maggiore riconoscimento delle opzioni a basso/niente alcol rispetto a cinque anni fa.
In risposta, Heineken® lancia la campagna '0.0 Motivi Necessari', mirando a normalizzare le scelte senza alcol e combattere gli stigmi sociali. La campagna, che presenta nuovi spot televisivi, andrà in onda a livello globale nel gennaio 2025.
Heineken® (HEINY) ha lanzado los resultados de un nuevo estudio antropológico realizado con el profesor Charles Spence de Oxford, encuestando a 11,842 adultos en cinco mercados. La investigación revela que, a pesar de la creciente aceptación de las bebidas sin alcohol, las presiones sociales en torno al consumo de alcohol persisten, especialmente entre los Gen Z.
Los hallazgos clave muestran que el 21% de Gen Z ha sido cuestionado sobre su elección de bebidas sin alcohol, y más de un tercio siente presión para consumir alcohol en situaciones sociales. El estudio también encontró que el 51% de las personas han consumido alcohol a pesar de haber planeado no hacerlo, a menudo debido a la presión social. Sin embargo, surgen tendencias positivas, ya que la mitad de los participantes notan una mayor aceptación de opciones de bajo/nulo alcohol en comparación con hace cinco años.
En respuesta, Heineken® lanza su campaña '0.0 Razones Necesarias', con el objetivo de normalizar las elecciones sin alcohol y combatir los estigmas sociales. La campaña, que contará con nuevos comerciales de televisión, se transmitirá globalmente en enero de 2025.
하이네켄® (HEINY)는 옥스퍼드 대학교의 찰스 스펜스 교수와 함께 실시한 새로운 인류학 연구 결과를 발표했습니다. 이 연구는 11,842명의 성인을 다섯 개 시장에서 조사하였습니다. 연구 결과, 비알콜 음료에 대한 수용도가 높아지고 있음에도 불구하고, 특히 Z세대 사이에서 알코올 소비에 대한 사회적 압력이 여전히 존재하는 것으로 나타났습니다.
주요 결과에 따르면, Z세대의 21%가 비알콜 음료를 선택한 것에 대해 질문을 받았으며, 3분의 1 이상이 사회적 상황에서 알코올을 마실 압박을 느낀다고 응답했습니다. 연구는 또한 51%의 사람들이 계획적으로 마시지 않기로 했음에도 불구하고 알코올을 소비한 경험이 있다고 밝혔으며, 이는 주로 사회적 압력 때문입니다. 하지만 긍정적인 경향이 나타나고 있으며, 참가자의 절반이 5년 전보다 저알콜/무알콜 옵션에 대한 수용도가 증가했다고 느끼고 있습니다.
이에 대한 응답으로 하이네켄®은 '0.0 이유가 필요 없다' 캠페인을 시작하여 무알콜 선택을 보편화하고 사회적 낙인을 없애기 위한 목표를 가지고 있습니다. 이 캠페인은 새로운 TV 광고를 담아 2025년 1월 전 세계에서 방영될 예정입니다.
Heineken® (HEINY) a publié les résultats d'une nouvelle étude anthropologique réalisée avec le professeur Charles Spence d'Oxford, interrogeant 11 842 adultes dans cinq marchés. La recherche révèle que, malgré une acceptation croissante des boissons sans alcool, des pressions sociales autour de la consommation d'alcool persistent, en particulier chez les Gen Z.
Les principales conclusions montrent que 21 % des Gen Z ont été interrogés sur leur choix de boissons sans alcool, plus d'un tiers se sentant sous pression pour consommer de l'alcool dans des situations sociales. L'étude a également révélé que 51 % des personnes ont consommé de l'alcool malgré une intention de ne pas le faire, souvent en raison de pressions sociales. Cependant, des tendances positives émergent, avec la moitié des participants notant une acceptation accrue des options à faible/absence d'alcool par rapport à il y a cinq ans.
En réponse, Heineken® lance sa campagne '0.0 Raisons Nécessaires', visant à normaliser les choix sans alcool et à lutter contre les stigmates sociaux. La campagne, qui présentera de nouvelles publicités télévisées, sera diffusée mondialement en janvier 2025.
Heineken® (HEINY) hat Ergebnisse einer neuen anthropologischen Studie veröffentlicht, die in Zusammenarbeit mit dem Oxford-Professor Charles Spence durchgeführt wurde und 11.842 Erwachsene in fünf Märkten befragt hat. Die Forschung zeigt, dass trotz einer wachsenden Akzeptanz von alkoholfreien Getränken soziale Druck in Bezug auf den Alkoholkonsum weiterhin besteht, insbesondere bei den Gen Z.
Wichtige Erkenntnisse zeigen, dass 21% der Gen Z darüber befragt wurden, warum sie alkoholfreie Getränke wählen, wobei über ein Drittel angibt, sich in sozialen Situationen unter Druck gesetzt zu fühlen, Alkohol zu konsumieren. Die Studie fand außerdem heraus, dass 51% der Menschen Alkohol konsumiert haben, obwohl sie geplant hatten, es nicht zu tun, oft aufgrund von sozialem Druck. Positive Trends zeigen sich jedoch, da die Hälfte der Teilnehmer anmerkten, dass die Akzeptanz von niedrigem/keinem Alkohol im Vergleich zu vor fünf Jahren gestiegen ist.
Als Reaktion darauf startet Heineken® die Kampagne '0.0 Gründe nötig', die darauf abzielt, alkoholfreie Entscheidungen zu normalisieren und soziale Stigmas abzubauen. Die Kampagne, die neue TV-Werbespots enthält, wird im Januar 2025 weltweit ausgestrahlt.
- Growing acceptance of non-alcoholic beverages, with 50% noting increased acceptance vs 5 years ago
- 20% of drinkers now moderate between alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages at social gatherings
- 35% of low/no-alcohol consumers choose these options during evening dates
- Strategic expansion in the growing non-alcoholic beverage market
- 21% of Gen Z face social pressure and stigma when choosing non-alcoholic options
- 38% of Gen Z men only willing to drink non-alcoholic beverages if friends do too
- 51% of people drink alcohol despite planning not to due to social pressure
Heineken® 0.0 commissions new anthropological study, revealing going alcohol-free can still raise eyebrows – especially among Gen Zers
AMSTERDAM, Jan. 02, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- People's drinking habits are changing, so do we still need abstinence months like 'Dry January' and 'Sober October' in the diary to choose non-alcoholic options? New research from Heineken® and University of Oxford Professor Charles Spence shows that despite the acceptability of low and non-alcoholic drinks being at a high, choosing one can still raise eyebrows.
The study - which surveyed 11,842 adults across five developed non-alcohol beer markets UK, USA, Spain, Japan (over the legal drinking age up to 75 years old), and Brazil (18 – 65 years old) found that Gen-Z (18 to 26 years old) are the group facing social pressures around alcohol consumption the most.
The survey found
Professor Spence and Heineken® 0.0's study in human behaviour investigated the persisting barriers to social acceptance of choosing non-alcoholic beverages. Some of the most interesting findings tell us:
- Gen Z men over the legal drinking age are amongst the most likely to feel choosing an alcohol-free drink could be a social faux pas.
38% of men in this age group say they would be willing to drink no or low-alcohol versions of alcoholic drinks but only if their friends do too.- If and when Gen Z men choose to drink a low or no-alcohol version of alcoholic drinks, they feel they need to explain and justify their choice of drink and even feel like “outsiders” for doing so (
29% ). - When it comes to moderation there is a gap in what people say versus what they do -
51% of people have ended up drinking alcohol when they said they wouldn't, often due to social pressure.
Heineken®'s latest campaign '0.0 Reasons Needed' has been designed to tackle the stigmas around social acceptance of choosing non-alcoholic beverages, supporting people's right to be reason free. This is part of Heineken®'s ongoing strategy to grow the category and refresh consumers' perspective on non-alcoholic drinks.
Charles Spence, Professor of Experimental Psychology at the University of Oxford, explains: “Our study has uncovered some fascinating insights into evolving societal attitudes towards alcohol consumption. For many, alcohol is no longer the default in social situations – we're seeing a shift towards more mindful consumption. Yet, in cultures where drinking alcohol is still predominantly viewed as the norm, opting out can be stigmatised. This is particularly true for Gen Zers and millennials. For generations, alcohol has played a central role in the way humans socialise, therefore dominant assumptions and stereotypes surrounding our drinking habits remain deeply ingrained in society.”
Not everyone is concerned with judgement of their drinking choices, the findings show we're in the early stages of acceptance becoming the new normal:
- Half of participants say that compared to five years ago, it is more acceptable to drink low or no-alcohol versions of alcoholic drinks.
- The study found a fifth of drinkers now say they moderate between alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages at evening social gatherings with friends or family.
- Participants acknowledge non-alcoholic drinkers as “cool” (
9% ) and “respectable” (25% ) rather than “uncool” (4% ) or “boring” (6% ). - Interestingly among those who drink low or no alcoholic versions of alcoholic drinks, over a third (
35% ) of people choose this when on an evening date.
More people feel secure in their balanced lifestyle – regardless of what others might think of them – and many people admire those who are sober or choose to drink in moderation. These early signs from non-alcoholic beer leading markets point to the dawn of a new, post 'sober curious' era.
Heineken®'s '0.0 Reasons Needed' campaign has been designed to send a clear message: if someone chooses dry, it doesn't matter why. Whilst social pressures around moderation still exist, Heineken® hopes to shatter the stigma associated with choosing not to drink alcohol, defending people's right to make judgement-free choices. The series of TVCs poke fun at some of the stereotypes associated with choosing not to drink alcohol, such as assuming someone must be the designated driver or they're on a health kick. Through the new '0.0 Reasons Needed' campaign, the brand aims to uplift those who simply want to enjoy a Heineken® 0.0 for its great taste, ensuring everyone is empowered to embrace moderation – if they want to.
Nabil Nasser, Global Head of Heineken® Brand, says, “The launch of Heineken® 0.0 in 2017 revolutionised the non-alcoholic space. A premium, high-quality brand offering a 0.0 has helped make moderation cool. It's exciting to see this new research uncover a growing social acceptance of non-alcoholic drinks; not just accepted, but also something people see as a cool and confident choice. That said, you can see there is still work to be done with the research spotlighting low and no alcohol judgement still exists, so we need to be dynamic and inventive around how we tackle these stereotypes. We're proud of our great tasting Heineken® 0.0 and its role in helping to remove the stigmas in this space, so people can enjoy it without being judged. Perhaps someone is the designated driver, or maybe they just really fancy a refreshing Heineken® 0.0 – our latest campaign shows the bottom line is, you don't need a special reason to go alcohol-free.”
Heineken®'s latest TV commercials, directed by Hanna Maria Hendrich and filmed in Barcelona, will be airing globally in January 2025.
HEINEKEN is committed to driving moderation through campaigns for Heineken® 0.0, with previous activations including When You Drive Never Drink and its Global sponsorship of Formula 1®.
Editorial information
Please find the whitepaper and infographic linked here
Please find the high-resolution campaign images here
Please find the TVC YouTube links below
For more information, please contact: HNKNBrand@edelman.com
*Professor Charles Spence, Anthropological Study into changes in consumption of low and no alcoholic products and their effect on society. The study whitepaper and executive summary are available on request.
Technical Note
The research was carried out by Ipsos UK on behalf of Edelman and Heineken. Ipsos UK interviewed a representative quota sample of 11,842 adults using its online omnibus, including a boost sample of 1,483 Gen Zs. Fieldwork was carried out in five markets - UK, USA, Spain, Japan and Brazil.
The sample achieved is representative of the population aged 18-75 in all markets except Brazil, where the participants were aged 18-65. Quotas were set on Age within Gender, Region and Working status.
The data have been weighted to the known offline population proportions for interlocking cells of gender within age, working status, as well as region and education (in UK, USA, Spain, Brazil), social grade (UK only) and income (USA only) to reflect the adult population of this audience in each market.
Whilst there are some differences by market, figures cited here are based on an overall average, with each country having an equal weight.
Fieldwork was carried out between the 16th August and 30th August 2024.
Base sizes below:
| Base | All markets | UK | Spain | USA | Japan | Brazil (18-65yrs) | All markets Gen Z (18-26 yrs) | All markets Gen Z (18-26 yrs) men |
| All adults (18-75 – BR 18-65) | 11,842 | 2465 | 2355 | 2413 | 2376 | 2233 | 2908 | 1,397 |
| All adults aged 18-75 (BR 16-65) who have had low or no alcohol drinks once/twice in last year or more | 9241 | 2059 | 2026 | 1756 | 1597 | 1803 | 2109 | 1028 |
About HEINEKEN:
HEINEKEN is the world's most international brewer. It is the leading developer and marketer of premium beer and cider brands. Led by the Heineken® brand, the Group has a portfolio of more than 300 international, regional, local and specialty beers and ciders. We are committed to innovation, long-term brand investment, disciplined sales execution and focused cost management. Through "Brewing a Better World", sustainability is embedded in the business.
HEINEKEN has a well-balanced geographic footprint with leadership positions in both developed and developing markets. We employ over 85,000 employees and operate breweries, malteries, cider plants and other production facilities in more than 70 countries. Heineken N.V. and Heineken Holding N.V. shares trade on the Euronext in Amsterdam. Prices for the ordinary shares may be accessed on Bloomberg under the symbols HEIA NA and HEIO NA and on Reuters under HEIN.AS and HEIO.AS. HEINEKEN has two sponsored level 1 American Depositary Receipt (ADR) programmes: Heineken N.V. (OTCQX: HEINY) and Heineken Holding N.V. (OTCQX: HKHHY).
Most recent information is available on HEINEKEN's website: www.theHEINEKENcompany.com and follow us on Twitter via @HEINEKENCorp.
Photos accompanying this announcement are available at
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/7406c0a8-0df4-4106-9dfb-fb2a3d278c21
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/cbb00c75-50b4-4bb7-9ccb-7d6b3dc87e5d
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/13dea103-00eb-4871-b632-ef4d1ce148a6
Videos accompanying this announcement are available at
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/3e202f5c-4606-4b0f-aec3-8f4d85d6e8e0
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/1afec95c-33de-4468-b4c2-0cc2b0771096
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/5abd35ab-c49e-40ca-bccc-09074ace5ca0
FAQ
What are the key findings of Heineken's (HEINY) 2024 non-alcoholic beverage study?
How is Heineken (HEINY) addressing non-alcoholic beverage stigma in 2025?
What percentage of Gen Z men face social pressure with Heineken 0.0 (HEINY)?
How has consumer acceptance of Heineken 0.0 (HEINY) changed since 2019?
