More young people are drinking juice and non-alcoholic cocktails on a regular basis
Weekly alcohol consumption among adolescents reaches an all-time low
Young people’s drinking habits are changing. Fruit juice and non-alcoholic cocktails are being consumed more frequently, while regular alcohol consumption is declining. This is shown by a YouGov survey commissioned by the Association of the German Fruit Juice Industry (VdF) and current data from the Federal Institute for Public Health (BIÖG). Together, they paint a picture of a young generation in whose daily beverage habits non-alcoholic options are gaining importance.
In July 2026, 42 percent of the 16- to 26-year-olds surveyed as part of the VdF survey stated that they drink fruit juice daily or several times a week. In the previous year’s survey of 16- to 25-year-olds, the figure was 24.6 percent. The proportion of daily consumers rose particularly sharply: from 5.8 percent to 17.6 percent. Another 24.5 percent drink fruit juice several times a week, up from 18.8 percent the previous year.
Mocktails are being consumed more regularly
Non-alcoholic cocktails have also become popular among many young people. 78.3 percent have already tried a mocktail. One in four drinks them regularly, compared to 11 percent the previous year. Fruit juice plays an important role here: 46.2 percent of respondents cite it as an essential component of a mocktail. At the same time, 35.1 percent say fruit juice plays a major role in their lives. A year earlier, this figure stood at 21.7 percent.
Alcohol is losing ground in terms of regular consumption
The trend toward fruit juice and mocktails coincides with a long-term decline in alcohol consumption. According to the BIÖG’s Drug Affinity Study published in September 2026, a total of 6.8 percent of 12- to 17-year-olds drank alcohol weekly in 2025. Among 18- to 25-year-olds, the figure was 25 percent. According to the institute, both figures were at historic lows.
Young people are also starting to drink later. The average age for the first drink rose from 14.1 years in 2004 to 15.1 years in 2025. Over the same period, the proportion of adolescents aged 12 to 17 who had consumed alcohol in the previous 30 days fell from 58.4 to 32.9 percent. Among 18- to 25-year-olds, the figures decreased from 84.4 percent in 2004 to 69.3 percent in 2025.
The common thread linking the results of these independently conducted surveys is the growing importance of non-alcoholic beverages in the daily lives of young people: While regular alcohol consumption is becoming less common, fruit juice and mocktails are finding their way into glasses more frequently.
About the Surveys
The data on fruit juice and mocktail consumption are based on two online surveys conducted by YouGov Deutschland GmbH on behalf of the Association of the German Fruit Juice Industry. The survey in July 2025 included 751 participants aged 16 to 25. In July 2026, 757 people aged 16 to 26 were surveyed. The survey was quota-sampled by age and gender, and the results were subsequently weighted accordingly. The results are representative of Generation Z.
For the study on drug use, the BIÖG surveyed a total of 7,001 people between the ages of 12 and 25 by telephone from April through July 2025.
Note: This article has been translated using a computer system without human intervention. LUMITOS offers these automatic translations to present a wider range of current news. Since this article has been translated with automatic translation, it is possible that it contains errors in vocabulary, syntax or grammar. The original article in German can be found here.
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