What is zebra striping and why are more Irish people choosing to drink in moderation?

A growing number of Irish people are turning away from regular alcohol consumption, but what are the creative ways in which people are reshaping drinking habits?

Laura Willoughby MBE, Ali Dunworth and Greg O'Shea pictured at NoLIta Dublin, as Heineken Ireland unveiled a new report, Always a Choice: How Socialising is Changing in Ireland.

Irish social life is evolving – and choosing to consume alcohol in moderation is increasingly at the heart of that social evolution.

A growing number of Irish people are turning away from regular alcohol consumption, a shift evident in the increasing number of young people choosing to drink less frequently and those who choose to abstain from alcohol consumption altogether.

Heineken Ireland's new ‘Always a Choice: How Socialising is Changing in Ireland’ report highlights how attitudes and behaviours around alcohol in Ireland are shifting, mirroring a global trend towards mindful drinking.

It found that 80% of adults believe there is more cultural permission to say “I’m drinking less” compared to five years ago, and over half (56%) paced themselves at recent social occasions, while nearly a third reported abstaining.

87% of respondents said some of their most enjoyable social moments happened while moderating, or not drinking at all, and nearly one in three (29%) said that it’s “just as good” as socialising with alcohol.

The report also found that stigma around alcohol consumption remains, with 53% admitting to drinking when they didn’t want to, and 31% finding it difficult to moderate because they feel obliged to explain themselves.

This is where the creative ways in which people are reshaping drinking habits come in, with trends such as ‘zebra striping’ and ‘damp drinking’, strategies aimed at reducing alcohol intake, becoming increasingly popular through social media.

What is zebra striping?

Zebra striping means alternating between alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. It effectively halves alcohol consumption for most people, reducing the risk of intoxication because it gives the body time to process the alcohol.

The term is new, but the concept of alternating drinks has long been a cornerstone of harm-reduction strategies.

What is damp drinking?

The rise of damp drinking is another shift from all-or-nothing approaches to alcohol, choosing to go ‘damp’ rather than completely ‘dry.

It means reducing alcohol without cutting it out altogether, where a drink might be reserved for special occasions, but generally doesn’t feature in everyday life.

The Heineken report found that Irish adults report that, on average, first dates or romantic settings are the least difficult social occasions to moderate alcohol consumption, while big group nights out (39%), weddings and family celebrations (33%), and pub rounds (28%) are the occasions where people find it more of a challenge to moderate.

As part of the research, feedback and insights were sought from a wide range of people, including the co-founder of Club Soda Laura Willoughby, author Ali Dunworth, and Irish Olympian and Sevens Rugby star Greg O’Shea.

“Zebra Striping is just one example that’s growing significantly in popularity. People are getting really creative and smart about how they adopt new habits so that they always have a choice,” says Willoughby.

Ali Dunworth, who is the author of A Compendium of Irish Pints: The Culture, Customs and Craic, describes Irish rounds as “a ritual intrinsically linked to our drinking and pub culture”.

“There are unique rules, peculiarities and complexities. When it comes to moderation, people are becoming more confident in speaking up at the beginning of a round - making sure that people aren’t making presumptions for them,” she says.

Irish sports and TV star Greg O’Shea says that moderation is all about balance, which allows him to enjoy a night out and still get up for training the next morning.

“For me, moderation is about balance. It lets me enjoy a night out, still get up for training the next morning, and not feel like I’m missing out on anything," he says.