DRY JANUARY
Perhaps you have seen or read an article or message, especially in the British market, about Dry January and you wonder, what is this?
We explain it to you.
Dry January is a campaign created by the British organization Alcohol Change UK in 2013 with the aim of reducing alcohol consumption in the United Kingdom during this month.
Its origin dates back to 2011 when Emily Robinson signed up for her first half marathon. The marathon was taking February. She didn’t like running much, so to make the training easier, she decided to give up alcohol during January. As a consequence, she lost weight, slept better, and felt she had more energy to do the run. But something else happened… Everyone wanted to talk to her about what it’s like to give up drinking for a bit.
In January 2012, Emily joined Alcohol Change UK. She’s decided to give up drinking again that January and this sparked off lots of different conversations about the benefits of having a break from drinking – especially after Christmas. That got them thinking:
“If we got more people having a break from booze in January, could we make more people think about their drinking? And would they drink less after their month off because actually, they enjoyed the break so much?”
The Birth
The idea for the Dry January campaign was born.
The first Dry January was kicked off in 2013 and started a debate about the usefulness of giving up alcohol for a month. Can a month alcohol-free really make a difference long-term?
Alcohol Change UK decided to work with alcohol behavior change expert Dr Richard de Visser from the University of Sussex to study the effects of that month of abstinence on people participating in the campaign.
De Visser found that six months after the campaign has finished, seven out of ten people have continued to drink less riskily than before. Almost a quarter of the people who were drinking at “harmful” levels before the campaign are now in the low-risk category.
The Expansion
From there, the campaign begins to have greater popularity. It is getting bigger, with many local authorities and NHS (British National Health Service) organizations supporting it, partnering with Alcohol Change UK, and promoting Dry January in their local areas.
This year some 6.5 million Britons are expected to participate in the Dry January.
A YouGov poll showed that more than four million Britons took part in Dry January in 2017 and that number has been increasing year-over-year since then and is already very popular. This year some 6.5 million Britons are expected to participate in the Dry January.
There is no intimidation or complicated language on the campaign website (www.alcoholchange.org.uk). Moreover, there are no lectures or recriminations to potential users about the consequences of alcohol consumption.
Alcohol Change UK offers a hopeful message: “Start 2021 the best way possible with Dry January, the UK’s one-month alcohol-free challenge. Get your fun back. Get your energy back. Get your calm back. Get your YOU back.”
It’s no surprise that many have found this sober-positive message alluring and committed themselves to a month without alcohol. Dry January makes a sober month sound like a great adventure, rather than an arduous slog to improved health.
It is clear that it has ceased to be a personal challenge to become a form of social awareness about the way we drink and has helped, throughout the year, to reduce or abandon alcohol consumption.
#ENENEROZERO
In addition, similar initiatives such as #ENENEROZERO are being generated that aim to expand the campaign to the Spanish market.
We signed up, of course.
“Start 2021 the best way possible with Dry January, the UK’s one-month alcohol-free challenge. Get your fun back. Get your energy back. Get your calm back. Get your YOU back.”
The Blue Dolphin Store fully shares the Dry January / #ENENEROZERO philosophy and challenge and we help you enjoy it with a wide range of alcohol-free beverages.
