The premise is straightforward: Dry January is a month the place folks cease ingesting alcohol, or make their greatest efforts to chop down.
It’s a giant month for alcohol-free manufacturers, who see the chance to succeed in new audiences as they seek for new and thrilling alternate options to alcohol.
However the marketing campaign isn’t nearly giving up alcohol for a month…
From area of interest origins to mass motion
Dry January began as a month-long marketing campaign from Alcohol Change UK (then Alcohol Concern) in 2013, encouraging folks to chorus from ingesting alcohol for a month.
The truth again then was an initiative discovered totally on posters in docs’ ready rooms: one which sometimes grabbed headlines in newspapers and speak exhibits for its novelty (and, certainly, audacity).
Right this moment, the marketing campaign has developed enormously: the concept of going dry in January is thought and embraced all through the world.
However that doesn’t essentially imply the concept is totally understood.
Fantasy: Dry January is a marketing campaign towards alcohol
Two widespread myths. Firstly, that Dry January is a marketing campaign towards alcohol; and secondly that the one and solely intention is to surrender alcohol for a month.
Considering like that dangers lacking the purpose solely, says Dr Richard Piper, CEO at Alcohol Change UK.
“Alcohol Change UK is anti-harm, not anti-alcohol,” he informed us.
“The aim of the Dry January problem is to supply a second in time that will get us all pondering and speaking about {our relationships} with alcohol.
“Importantly, it’s not about giving up alcohol without end, until that’s our personal private aim, however serving to any of us eager to reset our ingesting habits to return to extra managed, reasonable, low danger consumption over the long run.”
Altering habits for one month (a comparatively small and achievable aim) then helps us to consider how a lot we drink the remainder of the 12 months.
That’s not blue sky pondering: it’s about how we, as people, assess and alter our habits.
“Many years of conduct change proof present that merely attempting to chop again on alcohol is way tougher with out first taking a correct break of a month or extra,” mentioned Dr Piper.
“By means of this, we are able to expertise the advantages to our well being, wellbeing, wallets, relationships and extra, whereas absorbing the learnings and constructing the boldness and abilities wanted to make extra intentional selections about if, when and the way a lot alcohol we drink for the remainder of the 12 months.”
Staying dry
An unbiased research discovered that these taking over the problem with Alcohol Change UK’s Attempt Dry app and day by day e mail journey double their possibilities of reaching a very alcohol-free month vs these trying 31 days off on their very own.
In the meantime, 70% of those that use these instruments report nonetheless ingesting much less alcohol six months later.
Going dry in January comes on the proper time of 12 months: it’s a time when individuals are reassessing their well being, wellness, profession and life-style selections.
That clear and easy match has meant the concept has resonated with others and boomed over the past 14 years.
In 2013, round 4,000 folks took half in Dry January within the UK. In 2025, eight million folks took half. This month, practically a 3rd of the UK inhabitants (round 17.5 million folks) are anticipated to take part. And that’s within the UK alone.
Alcohol Change UK’s instruments and assets have developed: with a Attempt Dry app and day by day motivational emails. Adoption from native authorities and well being companies have helped the motion achieve mass nationwide consideration.
The Attempt Dry app
The Attempt Dry app – ‘suppose Strava or Garmin to your relationship with alcohol’ – helps these participating in Alcohol Change UK’s Dry January problem.
Since 2018, customers have saved over £1.6bn from cash not spent on alcohol, averted 16.2 billion empty energy from alcohol, and lower alcohol consumption by 258 million models.
Customers can:
> Observe alcohol-free streaks and cash, energy, models saved
> Monitor sleep, temper, wellbeing and cravings
> Set missions and earn badges for being alcohol-free at actions reminiscent of pub journeys, comedy nights, dates, birthdays, weddings and extra
> Entry offers, reductions and prizes to experiment with alcohol-free manufacturers
> Obtain day by day suggestions and recommendation for the problem
However what’s now actually fascinating in regards to the marketing campaign is that it’s change into concerned in all areas of individuals’s existence. That’s made it greater than a marketing campaign: it’s a motion.
Manufacturers embracing Dry January
For Alcohol Change UK, manufacturers have now change into an necessary a part of evolving their Dry January problem.
“Because the problem has developed, we’ve been in a position to entice help from company companions: from quick rising unbiased alcohol-free drinks to main retailers, well being, wellbeing and leisure manufacturers to call a couple of,” mentioned Dr Piper.
That help retains constructing the momentum behind the marketing campaign.
And that cash goes again into analysis and creating extra assets for the problem.
Worldwide dimensions
Alcohol Change has exported the Dry January® problem internationally by way of its companions:
• France – Federation Habit
• Switzerland – Blaues Kreuz Schweiz
• South Tyrol – Discussion board Prävention (province in North Italy)
• Luxembourg – Route de la santé
• USA – Meharry Medical Faculty
The Attempt Dry app at present has energetic customers in 184 international locations
On the coronary heart of that is alcohol-free manufacturers. This 12 months Fortunate Saint, the UK’s prime alcohol-free beer, returns for the fifth 12 months operating because the Official Beer of the Dry January problem.
Illustrating the vary of choices in alcohol-free is Counter Tradition Drinks, the official kombucha; and Sprint, the wonky fruit-infused mushy drinks model.
Becoming a member of the fold for the primary time as Official Mocktail is Belvoir Farm; whereas Change Clear Cider, Smart Bartender and Nekta additionally be a part of as official manufacturers and supporters.
These manufacturers provide their help, power and creativity to the marketing campaign: with a number of Dry January initiatives that assist folks understand the variety of alcohol-free choices and concepts now obtainable to them.
And for the manufacturers it’s about constructing a long-term path for progress and altering the message round ingesting and never ingesting.
Like Alcohol Change UK, we’re not towards alcohol, however we’re towards alcohol hurt. Our imaginative and prescient is a society the place ingesting alcohol feels extra like an indulgence and aware selection, slightly than an inevitability or necessity
Tom Good, co-founder and CEO, Counter Tradition Drinks
Who’s accountable for Dry January?
The most important level of confusion comes from the title Dry January itself.
The idea of Dry January is thought and embraced all through the world.
The official Dry January® problem, nonetheless, which comes with the apps and assets and help, is the trademarked area of Alcohol Change UK.
Bringing manufacturers on board helps the charity proceed to unfold its mission and the assets it affords.
“Because the charity behind the Dry January® problem, Alcohol Change UK is immensely grateful to work with official companions and supporters annually,” mentioned Dr Piper. “Their backing helps us to succeed in extra folks in January and past, proceed enhancing our instruments and assets and, crucially, hold every thing free and accessible to anybody, within the UK and world wide,” mentioned Dr Piper.
Whereas Dry January has change into synonymous with the concept of giving up alcohol, Alcohol Change UK conducts its official Dry January problem rigorously and cherishes the mission and imaginative and prescient for the marketing campaign. To that finish, it asks manufacturers that need to affiliate merchandise, companies or messaging with the Dry January problem to get in contact earlier than they accomplish that.
“We cherish and shield our Dry January® problem, simply because the London Marathon Basis cherishes and protects ‘The London Marathon’,” mentioned Dr Piper.
“We’ll begin planning 2027 very quickly and welcome conversations from any model eager to become involved. Get in contact and, when you share our values, we’ll fortunately discover collaborating.”
