Vietnam: Gen Z turns down alcohol, pushes back against social drinking pressures

Every year during the Tet holidays Thanh Tri fends off a barrage of drinking invitations from older relatives, holding firm to his decision to remain a teetotaler.

The 26-year-old in Can Tho Province works as a freelance communications consultant in Ho Chi Minh City.

He returned home ahead of Tet and was swept into a series of gatherings, from year-end parties to family visits. Beer and liquor typically flow on such occasions, with elders raising the first toast and often expecting younger people to follow.

When asked to drink, Tri would often say he had a stomach problem and ask for soda instead. Despite this, glasses of beer would still be handed to him with people exhorting him to drink. "Refusing to drink alcohol is very hard but I do not want to drink out of obligation like I used to," he says.

He says he has disliked alcohol for years.

He grew up with a father who was a heavy drinker, and early in his life drank out of politeness and to maintain relationships.

After drinking too much at a year-end party in 2024 he was sick for two days and unable to work during a busy period. He has since abstained completely from alcohol.

He says most of his business meetings in recent years, largely with Gen Z partners, have been held at cafes or casual restaurants where drinking is not a focus. Quitting alcohol has not affected the quality of these interactions, he adds.

Tri’s attitude towards drinking indicates a shift in how young Vietnamese socialize. The 2025 Vietnam Young Consumers Report by consumer research company NielsenIQ found that 45% of Vietnamese Gen Z respondents limit or avoid alcohol, compared to 28% of Millennials, VNExpress reported on March 7.

Similar patterns are seen elsewhere in the Asia-Pacific, where around 35% of young people report reducing alcohol consumption and 13% say they have quit.

Many choose low-alcohol or zero-alcohol beverages to balance social participation with staying sober.

Global beverage research firm IWSR said non-alcoholic beer production rose 9% in 2025, while traditional beer declined 1%, compared to the year before. It identified Gen Z as the main driver of this shift.

The trend is affecting local businesses. Che Thi Hang, who has operated a beer shop for more than 20 years in Truong Vinh Ward, Nghe An Province, said the number of young customers has declined over the past two years.

She says they drink less, order fewer beers and no longer treat beer shops as regular meeting spots while middle-aged customers have largely maintained their habits. "Young customers order beer mainly to accompany food, talk briefly and leave early."

Linh Nguyen, strategy director at consulting firm Happiness Saigon, said several main factors are driving the change in alcohol consumption among Gen Y and Gen Z.

First, market offerings and lifestyles have evolved, and non-drinkers now have access to non-alcoholic and low-alcohol options.

Second, while heavy drinking was once linked to sociability, the ability to refuse alcohol is seen as maturity among younger people.

Thanh Phu, 24, of Phu Trung Ward in HCMC says he no longer finds refusing alcohol a social obstacle as he neither enjoys drinking nor considers it essential to building relationships.

He says most people now choose drinks based on personal preference and many avoid beer and liquor. His supervisor, 31, occasionally invites the team out for meals where beer may be available but no one is pressured to drink.

When meeting new partners, Phu says upfront that he does not drink and asks for water. "The social gatherings continue as normal. For me, real joy does not require alcohol."

Linh Nguyen says Gen Z’s stance is bringing about a shift in social drinking norms where toasting rituals are becoming less competitive.

"Alcohol is not going away but it is returning to its proper place as a personal choice rather than a requirement to prove closeness."

09 March, 2026