Almost 9 million people in the UK are planning to have a month off drinking in January 2023. 

The survey, commissioned by Alcohol Change UK, shows that the cost of living crisis has impacted on drinking habits over the last six months.

One in six people who drink alcohol said this had led to them drinking more to cope with worries around the crisis, and one in seven have prioritised purchasing alcohol over essential items, such as groceries. 

Ailar Hashemzadeh, Director of Research and Public Affairs at Alcohol Change UK, said:  “Over the past few years, things have been incredibly tough for so many people and the cost of living crisis is making things even tougher. This has led to more and more of us finding our drinking creeping up, particularly for those of us who were drinking more heavily to start with.  

“Since its launch 10 years ago, Dry January® has provided a brilliant opportunity for hundreds of thousands of people to take a break from drinking and have a total reset."