It's scientifically proven that Gen Z prefers to stay at home rather than go out Interest in alcohol is steadily declining, along with the desire to hit the streets

For years we have described Gen Z as the generation that doesn't drink, doesn't have sex and doesn't do drugs, yet is constantly in search of third places and community. It's only an apparent contradiction, and it seems to tell a fairly simple truth: perhaps Gen Z is far more boring than it wants to appear. Backing up this impression is new research from Schweppes, according to which 54% of under-30s have consciously reduced their alcohol consumption. That, in truth, we already knew. The really interesting finding is something else: today's young people actually prefer to organise a night in rather than go out.

How does Gen Z spend its evenings?

While 36% of Gen Z still prefers going out, 56% opts for the domestic dimension, turning the home into the nerve centre of their social life. It's not a matter of comfort or laziness: 35% do it because they seek more authentic relationships, less influenced by social pressure, while 41% link this choice to their physical and mental wellbeing. Schweppes defines this phenomenon as home tending, in which an evening with friends has become almost a display of taste and art direction, complete with curated playlists, soft lighting, carefully laid tables, premium ingredients and drinks prepared as though one were behind the counter of a cocktail bar.

Amid all this attention devoted to curating the environment, spending habits are changing too. The report highlights that 28% of respondents prefer to drink less simply because they choose to invest their money elsewhere, or to treat themselves to fewer cocktails, but of higher quality. In this new balance, crafted mocktails also find their place — visually appealing and designed to sit alongside traditional cocktails. This is the principle behind what the report calls fluid drinking (also known as zebra striping): alternating alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks throughout the same evening, without either choice being perceived as more right or more wrong than the other.

Gen Z vs Millennials: two ways of having fun compared

It is, after all, the natural evolution of sober curiosity, the movement born in the United States that encourages people to reduce alcohol consumption without necessarily eliminating it. It's no coincidence that the alcohol-free beverage market has exploded in recent years, with Gen Z having stopped attributing to alcohol the same social weight as previous generations. For Millennials, drinking was still an integral part of a night out; for Gen Z, it's just one option among many.

The difference also emerges in the motivations highlighted by the report: while Millennials also spend a great deal of time at home, for them it is primarily a matter of habit or family life. Under-30s, on the other hand, say they do it to seek authenticity, preserve their mental wellbeing and escape social pressure. In other words, they are not giving up on socialising — they are simply making it increasingly controlled.