Dry January, Lent and other forms of temporary abstinence are still unpopular
The Ipsos Consumer Tracker asks Americans questions about culture, the economy and the forces that shape our lives. Here's one thing we learned this week.
Why we asked: We’ve come out of dry January and popped right into Lent, so ’tis the season to give things up after the excesses of the holidays. Or, is it?
What we found: It might be the season, but we’re not buying it. Only one in ten said they took part in Dry January or Meatless Mondays. A few more (14%) said they took part in a religious activity that requires giving things up. Interestingly, one in four give up something just ’cuz. Despite all of this, there are definitely ripples in the restaurant industry, with signs that January was a tough month for that part of the hospitality sector and signs of a rebound in February reported as well. Because if, say, moderately heavy drinkers are the ones who give up drinking, that could hurt bottom lines. However, Dry January might not be the only factor here, because…
In a follow-up, we asked people who gave up anything what they gave up. The most popular answer was drinking alcohol (31%), so even those who aren’t doing Dry January are giving up drinking.
But wait, there’s more. That was followed by pop (31%) and sweets (28%). Social media and sex were virtually tied (at 16%/15%). We also asked an open-end of other things people gave up. Notably, dining out was the most-mentioned as prices continue to rise in that sector, so we’re not just drinking out less, we’re eating out less, perhaps. And finally, some favorites from the open-end included “Democrat friends” and “dealing with people” also some odd things to give up like “joy…” and “volunteering” “music lessons.”
More insights from this wave of the Ipsos Consumer Tracker:
Americans’ descriptions of AI are getting more negative
Americans are more confident about a Trump-led future except for one key topic
The Ipsos Care-o-Meter: What does America know about vs. what does America care about?
