Health and alcohol | Mostly alcohol-free at parties: – People won't leave you alone

He is one of the few young people who often choose not to drink alcohol at parties. He now shares his experiences on Tiktok.

“I do it mostly because it's a joke, but it's also meant to remind annoying people,” says the influencer with 45,000 followers on Tiktok.

“I know a lot of people do it to be comprehensive, but you get tired of the same questions all the time,” he explains.

Drink a lot every weekend

In the past, like many others, he spent his weekends drinking with friends.

-I used to drink alcohol to be social, usually every weekend. “When Sunday came I almost always regretted it,” says Artian.

Previously he worked in a bar. Made him think.

– I noticed the same people coming every weekend and realized: “This is not the lifestyle I want,” he admits.

There he also saw that many wanted to hide the fact that they did not drink.

– I experienced that ladies asked me for a glass of water, but asked me to decorate it so that it looked like a cocktail, says the Bergen resident.

He hasn't given up drinking alcohol completely, but now saves it for bigger occasions.

A small percentage of the population

There is widespread agreement that alcohol can have a significant impact on physical and mental health.

The Norwegian Health Directorate's advice is clear that alcohol consumption has negative health effects regardless of the amount consumed.

Statistics from the Norwegian Public Health Institute (FHI) show that 84 percent of young people aged 16 to 24 have consumed alcohol in the past year. On average, the group drinks 3.16 liters of alcoholic beverages per month.

Figures from 2012 to 2023 show no systematic change in alcohol consumption among young people, according to FHI senior researcher Ingeborg Rousseau.

This means that those who abstain from drinking alcohol are a strong minority in the population.

It's hard to say no

Surveys conducted by Ipsos on behalf of Blue Cross show how difficult it is for young people to stay sober at parties.

The numbers show that young people are under great pressure, and that it is difficult to deal with those who choose to stop taking the popular drug.

-For young people, it may be a good idea to create unobtrusive packaging. As a young person, you often don't want to be different, says Katrin Solbakken, communications director at Blue Cross.

She also believes party organizers bear responsibility.

-If you are invited to a party, you should always serve non-alcoholic drinks. There can be many reasons why people don't want to drink, for example illness, bad experiences or religion, says Solbakken.

Artian has advice for your next party.

-I think you should ask people why they choose to drink. What's so great about that? Artian asks BS.

He has learned to stand up to pressure, but he realizes that it is difficult.

“I understand that it is especially difficult for young people,” he says.

saleseek

Venmonopolet believes that the popularity of non-alcoholic drinks is increasing, although alcohol consumption has remained relatively unchanged.

– In a market that is down by 1.8 percent, sales of non-alcoholic drinks are increasing by 19.7 percent, says Vinmonopolet's press officer Jens Nordahl.

For the first time in the history of Vinmonopolet, they sold more than one million liters of non-alcoholic drinks in one year. Nordahl believes one reason is that people care more about health. In Bergen Storsenter, sales of non-alcoholic drinks rose from 6,890 liters in 2022 to 8,318 liters in 2023, according to Vinmonopolet statistics.

We see that there is a greater focus on alcohol-free alternatives, due to increased awareness of the harmful effects of alcohol on health. “We are focusing on alcohol-free products, and we have gained a greater breadth of choice,” says Nordahl.

Find new options

Artian usually goes for non-alcoholic beer when he goes to a party, but he wanted to see what options were available at Vinmonopolet.

Bachelor joins him at the column at the Valkendorf Gate.

“I never noticed that non-alcoholic is the first thing you come to in this store, and I have been here several times,” says Artian.

The alcohol-free shelf is easy to see, but it doesn't extend very far.

– notes that I'm not particularly impressed with the choice.

After browsing the shelves, Artian finds something that catches his eye.

-I like the packaging on this one, you can't tell it's alcohol free. “I think it might be a good thing to take with you if you want to drink less alcohol, or not drink it at all,” he says.

Produced alcohol-free

Vanessa Krug is the Managing Director and Founder of Villbrygg, and sells her products at Vinmonopolet. It has chosen to offer exclusively alcohol-free options, because it believes there is a gap in the market.

– Even if you choose alcohol-free products, you want products with exciting flavors and an elegant appearance. She thinks it's partly because you want to feel included.

– It's not fun to drink water at a party, you'd rather slip through the crowd, Krug points out.

-It's modern

The company started in 2018, but in recent years it has especially noticed a marked increase in interest in its products. In the fourth quarter of 2023, sales increased three-fold compared to the same quarter last year.

– In the past, I was often asked about offering products containing alcohol, but now many applaud the fact that we focus exclusively on alcohol-free alternatives, says Krug. The founder says they make conscious choices about the bottle design.

.

– She says: – We put a lot of work into the design, precisely because we want the drink to be something you can proudly take with you to the party.

People can relate

Many commented on the post shared by Artian on Tiktok. There you can see that many people recognize what he describes.

One user commented: “I don't care anymore. Before, I really felt pressured and tired of having to explain to everyone who asked.”

Although the post was created primarily for entertainment, he is happy if he can set an example for those who make the same choice as him.

– Most of the people who follow me on social media are 22 or under, and the fact that I can be a role model for them is a very nice bonus, says Artian.

He adds: – The last thing I will promote on social media is smoking, coughing and alcohol.