Asia’s Gen Z go sober as alcohol producers and bars revamp business model

South China Morning Post · Mar 2, 2026 · Collected from RSS

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For her New Year’s resolution, Cheryl Tan decided that she would drink less alcohol on nights out. The 26-year-old Singaporean finance professional said she was starting to find it increasingly difficult to shed the effects of hangovers, rendering her immobile long into the next day.“It seemed like recovery after a night out was taking too long, and I started to scale back so I would be more productive,” she said.Cutting back has also saved her money. A cocktail at a speakeasy in Singapore could cost around S$30 (US$24), and taxi fares after midnight often came with surcharges, she added.Like Tan, many across Asia’s Gen Z are choosing to go sober – or at least sober-curious – citing rising costs, health concerns and changing social habits, forcing bars and drinks giants to rethink how – and what – they sell.“Not drinking allows me to sleep more and still wake up early the next day to do work, and I feel more energetic to exercise or do yoga,” Tan said.At the start of the month, marketing executive Ruby Chiu, 25, set a goal of limiting herself to one night out per month, down from once a week, to prepare herself for a half-marathon in April.