Find out how soft drinks are replacing alcohol

• Official Soft Drink of Dry January®, TRIP (drink-trip.com), is the UK's fastest growing soft drink, contributing more unit growth to the soft drinks category than any soft drinks launched in the last two decades (Source: IRI, Total Soft Drinks, Volume Change YoY, 12W ending 09/09/23)
• TRIP is now confirmed as the fastest growing soft drinks brand of 2023 (IRI, Total Soft Drinks over £4M RSV LY, 52 w/e 02 Dec, 2023)
• Since it started in 2013, Dry January® has been phenomenally successful and, led by Alcohol Change UK, has helped people all over the world reset their relationship with alcohol. This year 5 million people plan to go alcohol free in January 2024
• 1 in 2 Gen Z have had a CBD drink as an alcohol-alternative & TRIP's market share of CBD drinks is 88% (Source: KAM Media, Nielsen)
• TRIP's success signifies a shift from an alcohol-first consumer mentality to relaxing & unwinding. 59% of TRIP's DTC customers buy TRIP as an alcohol alternative

Every January, people all over the country decide to ditch drinking. Considering that a third of adults report feeling anxious after alcohol (TRIP), breaking boozy habits is certainly a good way to start the year feeling healthier and happier.

In 2023, 9 million UK adults participated in Dry January® (Alcohol Change UK), with similar numbers of participants expected this year. However, one in three fail to make it to the end of the month without reverting to their usual drinking habits (YouGov); the tools and support of Alcohol Change UK make it much easier to enjoy lasting success.

Why? Studies show that people mostly drink in order to unwind, and alcohol alternatives generally don't have the same calming effect. Swapping out your usual tipple for a booze-free option might leave you hangover-less, but often the soft drinks we reach for are packed full of sugar or have other additives that won't help you to relax in the same way that a glass of wine with dinner does.

It's for this reason that Dry January® is widely assumed to be a month of sacrifice. We forget it doesn't have to be this way. Not drinking doesn't have to be boring.

Wellness expert and co-founder of non-alcoholic CBD drink brand TRIP Olivia Ferdi believes that it's possible to take the edge off without reverting to our normal drinking habits: “CBD can be an exciting part in how we socialise.”

But why the sudden demand? Studies show that people are increasingly giving up drinking, and since most alcohol alternatives generally don't have the same calming effect, only TRIP can help people unwind in a similar way.

In the first month of this year, approximately 8.8 million adults attempted to go without alcohol (Source: Alcohol Change UK), and with its delicious and functional flavours, TRIP helped many of these people stay on track. In fact, among Generation Z - the most likely age group to be teetotal - 1 in 2 have now tried a CBD drink (Source: KAM Media and Drinkaware). 

As part of their awareness driving for Dry January, TRIP has begun work with Roman Kemp, a vocal advocate for looking after your mental health; Olivia Ferdi comments, “Roman was a natural choice to partner with to promote our Dry January campaign, which is encouraging people to unwind naturally with TRIP and avoid the dreaded alcohol hangiexty.”

Roman Kemp adds, "Have you recently been affected by that dreaded word… hangxiety? Well, you don't have to feel like that, that's why I'm sticking with TRIP. A non-alcoholic drink that still gives me that relaxation and feelings of unwinding without the horrible aftermath and only 24 calories."

With 30 million impressions on TikTok and Instagram in January alone it's increasingly obvious just how in demand these kinds of functional alcohol alternatives really are. It seems that the only way is up for TRIP. As a result, TRIP now appears above both trip.com and Tripadvisor when searching 'TRIP' on Google! As consumers change their habits to drive soft drink sales, it's no coincidence that the official drink of Dry January®, TRIP, is also the fastest selling soft drink nationwide.

NOTES TO EDITORS

ABOUT TRIP

Founded by husband-and-wife duo Dan and Liv, TRIP is the UK's #1 CBD brand, major retail stockists include Waitrose, Sainsbury's, Boots, Ocado and Holland & Barrett. The pair discovered CBD in 2018, after Dan sustained a serious knee injury just weeks before they were due to get married and was told he wouldn't walk down the aisle. Dan tried CBD oil as a means of rehabilitation ahead of his surgery and realised its incredible power to reduce his inflammation and help him sleep. He made a miraculous recovery in time for their wedding, able to dance crutches-free throughout the night.

Afterwards, Liv began using CBD to manage the everyday stresses she faced as a lawyer, finding that it helped her unwind after long stressful days. She loved the effects it had but hated the bitter taste and inconvenient formats, and decided she wanted to create something better, she left her legal career to create TRIP.

Working together, Liv and Dan created new CBD products that could fit effortlessly into their busy lifestyles: easy-to-use products that looked premium, tasted delicious, and most importantly, made her feel great. TRIP was their way of sharing calm amidst the chaos.

In April 2021, TRIP was successfully included in FSA's list of approved CBD brands. Navigating the regulatory landscape has been a tricky task for TRIP, since CBD is such a new discovery, but with co-founder Liv at the help, compliance has always been a key priority for the brand, who are now industry leaders.

TRIP CBD DRINKS

The Great Taste Award winning TRIP CBD Drinks are flavour-first, deliciously refreshing, lightly sparkling and infused with natural adaptogens for stress-free sipping, helping you feel more productive and creative, as well as less stressed and anxious. CBD drinks have the same benefits as CBD oils or other CBD products but can be a convenient and delicious way to take your dose. TRIP's range includes Peach Ginger, Lemon Basil, Elderflower Mint and Cold Brew Coffee CBD infused drinks. Whether you grab a cold can after the gym, prep for a hefty day of Zoom calls, or switch out your evening glass of wine, TRIP offers a delicious way to unwind and relax into your best self.

ABOUT ALCOHOL CHANGE UK

Alcohol Change UK (www.alcoholchange.org.uk) is a charity founded in 1984 that works for a society that is free from the harm caused by alcohol.

Alcohol Change UK is not anti-alcohol; they are for alcohol change. Alcohol Change UK is for a future in which people drink as a conscious choice, not a default; where the issues which lead to alcohol problems – like poverty, mental health issues, homelessness – are addressed; where those of us who drink too much, and our loved ones, have access to high-quality support whenever we need it, without shame or stigma.

The problem is complex, and so the solutions aren't simple. But Alcohol Change UK is ambitious. Driven by the belief that every person deserves to live a full life free from alcohol harm, they create evidence-driven change by working towards five key changes: improved knowledge, better policies and regulation, shifted cultural norms, improved drinking behaviours, and more and better support and treatment.

Find TRIP on social media:

• Instagram: instagram.com/trip.drinks
• Facebook: facebook.com/trip.drinks
• Twitter: twitter.com/trip_cbd