What is Dry January and what are the best non-alcoholic drinks?
DESPITE our best efforts to exhibit some sort of self-control at Christmas, our trousers always feel a little bit tighter in the weeks that follow - probably because of the countless rounds of drinks we enjoyed with loved ones over the festive season.
Five years ago, we probably wouldn't have been able to tell you what Dry January was - but these days, it feels like everybody and their mother has pledged to give up booze for the next four weeks.
Here's everything you need to know about Dry January - including some non-alcoholic drinks that'll rival your favourite tipple.
What is Dry January?
Run by Alcohol Change UK, Dry January is a campaign - with an accompanying app - encouraging people to stop drinking alcohol during the first month of the year.
Alcohol Change's shows the latest figures show that 86 per cent of Dry January participants saved money, while 70 per cent reported having better sleep and 66 per cent had more energy.
Many people will use Dry January for a post-Christmas detox, with Alcohol Change saying the month-long movement lets you take control of your relationship with booze and drives a conversation about alcohol.
What are the best non-alcoholic drinks?
We've rounded up some of the best non-alcoholic drinks here:
- Best non-alcoholic drinks that are packed with flavour
- Best non-alcoholic gins
- Best alcohol-free prosecco to let you celebrate sober
- Best alcohol-free beer and wine to stock up on for Dry January and beyond
CleanCo Non-Alcoholic Spirits
CleanCo offers gin, vodka, tequila and rum alternatives, which provide none of the alcohol (and very few calories) without compromising on flavour.
They retail at .
Hiver's non-alcoholic beer
Seedlip (non-alcoholic spirit)
Shloer Rose (non-alcoholic wine)
When did Dry January start?
The idea behind Dry January came in 2011 when an Alcohol Change employee decided to ditch the booze for a month before running a half marathon in February.
In 2012, Alcohol Change decided to launch their first Dry January campaign, which would take place at the start of 2013.
The first ever Dry January that year saw just under 4,500 people take part, and by January 2014, the monthly pledge was up to 17,000 people.
In 2016, Alcohol Change launched a Dry January app, and by 2017, 5 million Brits were on board with the campaign.