Last Updated:
India’s festive drinking culture is shifting toward moderation.
Consumers are embracing moderation, signalling a shift toward more thoughtful festive drinking habits.
India’s festive season has long been synonymous with abundance; abundant food, abundant gatherings, and often, abundant alcohol. But as cultural attitudes shift and conversations about wellbeing become central to modern living, one truth is becoming increasingly clear: celebration today is no longer about excess, but balance.
What’s even more interesting is that this shift isn’t being driven by consumers alone. Some of India’s biggest beverage companies are reshaping the narrative, placing responsible consumption at the core of their business strategy not as a compliance checkbox, but a cultural intervention.
Moderation Is Not Restriction, It’s Redirection
Diageo India, one of the most influential players in the spirits category, frames this shift with unusual clarity. The company’s “Drink Better, Not More” philosophy challenges the long-standing assumption that celebration and restraint cannot coexist.
As Diageo India states, “Moderation is not a limitation; it’s a mindset.” Their approach makes a crucial point: drinking responsibly isn’t about depriving people of pleasure but empowering them with awareness and choice.
Their programmes reflect that philosophy in action not in slogan.
Act Smart India reached 200,000 youth in FY24–25 to curb underage consumption.
Wrong Side of the Road, implemented across 79 Regional Transport Offices in 10 states, engaged 500,000 consumers on the realities of drink-driving.
DRINKiQ, a global resource, continues to guide consumers on understanding alcohol, its effects, and moderation.
These are not fringe interventions, they’re systemic nudges that redefine what “responsible drinking” looks like in a country where alcohol often sits at the centre of social life.
The New Festive Host: Stylish, Smart and Moderate
Globally, Diageo’s festive campaign, “The Magic of Moderate Drinking,” brings an unexpectedly charming lens to the idea of drinking responsibly. Instead of stern warnings, it appeals to taste, style and creativity, zebra-striping between cocktails and alcohol-free drinks, offering a second coaster just for water, choosing single measures, and using the versatility of spirits to build flavour without escalating alcohol intake.
It reframes moderation not as self-control, but as good hosting. A subtle cultural shift, but an influential one.
Indian Consumers Are Already Evolving And Brands Know It
This transition toward balance is not top-down, it’s happening in living rooms, bars and dinner tables across the country.
As Shalini Sharma, Head of Marketing, Piccadily Agro Industries Ltd., notes, “Celebrations feel best when they’re enjoyed responsibly, and responsible consumption is now an essential part of the evolving consumer landscape.”
Piccadily’s insight captures a nationwide trend: today’s consumers aren’t moderating because they’re told to, they’re moderating because it aligns with their values.
Health consciousness has moved from niche to mainstream. Hangovers are no longer badges of honour. And “mindful drinking” is becoming part of aspirational lifestyle narratives.
Sharma highlights that the company’s role goes beyond producing premium spirits: it is about reinforcing balance, wellbeing and thoughtful enjoyment. “True enjoyment is achieved through balance,” she says, a sentiment that would have sounded radical a decade ago.
Beer: The Quiet Enabler of Moderation
Meanwhile, in the beer segment, the conversation takes a slightly different angle. With its naturally lower ABV, beer already offers a gentler alternative but companies are nudging this even further.
Vikram Bahl, Chief Marketing Officer, United Breweries Limited, articulates it clearly, “Beer empowers mindful choices and supports a culture of responsibility.”
With consumers increasingly seeking balance, participating socially without compromising early morning workouts, work commitments or health routines, beer sits in an ideal space.
To support this shift, United Breweries has expanded its non-alcoholic portfolio, giving consumers the ability to socialise without drinking at all. Heineken 0.0 is a leading example: a full-flavoured, zero-alcohol alternative that embodies conscious celebration.
Bahl emphasises that moderation is not just about behaviour but about access and transparency from clear labelling to communication that informs rather than glamorises. “Our commitment goes beyond messaging; it is about redefining what it means to have a good time,” he says.
The Culture of Celebration Is Being Rewritten, Slowly, But Surely
What’s striking is that across spirits, beer and even non-alcoholic options, the message from India’s beverage industry is converging:
Responsibility is no longer the side note. It is the centrepiece.
This is not moral policing. This is cultural evolution. A recognition that celebrations are richer when they don’t come at the cost of wellbeing.
Consumers are voting with their choices.
Brands are responding with education, innovation and more inclusive product portfolios.
And together, they are redefining what it means to celebrate, thoughtfully, stylishly, and safely.
The next era of festive drinking in India won’t be defined by abstinence or excess, but by something far more powerful: informed enjoyment.
Moderation, it turns out, is not the opposite of celebration, it may just be the future of it.
Click here to add News18 as your preferred news source on Google. December 11, 2025, 23:57 IST
