This is just a glimpse of the insights available to CivicScience clients. Want to see the full picture? Let’s talk.
At the top of the year, our Dry January insights indicated that interest was rising. But with January more than halfway over, now is an ideal time to check in on participation. Have Americans continued their dry spell? Or have the first few weeks of the new year–rife with the worst wildfires in LA history and the inauguration of a new president–sent the sober-curious back to the bottle? CivicScience has the most up-to-date data.
At this point in January–roughly three-fourths of the way through—and among those who drink, 18% of U.S. adults are actively participating in Dry January, while 12% started but fell off the wagon. By comparison, last year, 25% of drinking adults 21+ self-reported that they successfully completed the month. The reality of Dry January was much lower than interest (54% said they were at least somewhat likely to participate this year).
Surprisingly, drinking-age Gen Z adults who have shown the most sober curiosity this month have been the most likely to abandon their Dry January plans in 2025 (27% report participating, and 36% report they abandoned plans). Compare that to the 35% of Gen Z aged 21-24 who successfully completed the month sans alcohol last year.
Times certainly are changing, especially with the inauguration of the 47th president this week. It may not come as a surprise that political affiliation does correlate to Dry January’s completion. Currently, Democrats are the most likely to have fallen off of their sober plans this month.
Join the conversation: Are you currently participating in Dry January?
Physical Health is a Top Priority
Those who have chosen to participate in Dry January have largely done so to improve their physical health (41%). The desire to improve mental health comes in second (22%), and the desire to save money comes in third (17%).
Given this data, it comes as no surprise that the majority of Dry January participants (71%) are not replacing alcohol with anything. However, for those who are replacing their alcohol consumption, soda and seltzer come in first (14%), CBD products are second (10%), and mocktails are third (7%).
A Holistic Change Was Needed
So what made the difference between those who dropped off and those still on their Dry January journey? The data suggests that taking a holistic approach to wellness may play a role.
Those who have new gym equipment, for example, are more likely to be continuing with Dry January than those who do not. Likewise, those who sleep less than six hours a night are more likely to have given up on being sober this month than those who sleep more than six hours.
This is to say that Dry January, as part of a larger choice to improve health, may be a more successful approach than opting for Dry January as the only way to improve health.
Share your thoughts: How interested are you in trying a non-alcoholic beer or ‘mocktail’?
Looking to the Future
So what happens next? As it stands, 33% of U.S. adults participating in Dry January are not yet sure how they’ll engage with alcohol after the month is complete. However, among those with an idea, the largest percentage (26%) plan to drink less alcohol but not eliminate it completely once the month is over.
This year’s Dry January served a few surprises and the reminder that the best-laid plans may truly go awry. Amidst the unprecedented LA wildfires and the beginning of a new administration, Americans largely threw in the towel on their plans to stay sober. And while 23% of those currently participating plan to stop drinking altogether, a much more significant percentage of drinking-aged Americans will continue to engage with alcohol, in some form, once the month is done–perhaps indicating a trend for how drinking-aged adults plan to navigate the rest of a year that’s gotten off to a rocky start.
Attitudes change before behaviors do. CivicScience helps clients stay ahead of the curve by uncovering the hidden consumer trends that lead to winning market strategies. See what we can do for your brand.
Note: This post is not to be confused with the official Dry January program, which has more comprehensive protocols.
