Zero Alcohol and Youth: Symbolic Meanings, Archetypes, and Policy Implications

Context and Purpose

• Discusses alcohol policy nuances in supermarkets (licensed hours, age checks, 0% alcohol placement relative to the single alcohol area).
• Observation: supermarkets often place 0% alcohol near the alcohol area and even ID-check 0% products as if they were alcohol.
• Aim of the presentation: provide background for understanding how zero-alcohol products fit into alcohol legislation and youth perceptions.

Presenter and Team

• Anne Marie (professor of marketing for behavior change, specializing in alcohol harm reduction, zero-alcohol, youth drinking behavior).
• Collaborators: Dr. Rachel Dixon and Jen Smith (registered teachers) from the University of Canterbury.
• Acknowledgement of colleagues and support from the team and the audience.

Problem Framing and Background

• Alcohol harm costs to government and society; emphasis on youth drinking as a persistent concern.
• Youth drinking rates are reported to be fluctuating, with some declines in certain surveys but still high in many contexts.
• The symbolic meaning of alcohol is central to understanding youth behavior; alcohol has social, identity, and rite-of-passage connotations.
• Zero alcohol is relatively under-researched in youth contexts compared to adults; interest in whether zero alcohol can substitute for alcohol and what meanings it carries for youth.
• Prior research cited:
  • In adults, mere exposure to zero-alcohol correlates with increased zero-alcohol consumption and intention to consume it.
  • In youth, less is known; systematic exploration of symbolic meanings needed.
• Australia survey finding cited: $37\%$ of ages $15–70$ had tried zero alcohol and saw it as an attractive alternative; parents also viewed zero alcohol positively for their children in situations where others are drinking. However, uncertainty remains about zero alcohol being a gateway to earlier or greater alcohol use.

Research Questions and Focus

• Core questions:
  • What symbolic meaning do youth associate with zero-alcohol brands?
  • How does that symbolic meaning influence current and future drinking behaviors?
• Rationale: symbolic meanings such as group belonging and social bonding may drive consumption choices and substitution between alcohol and zero-alcohol products.
• Scope: three schools across New Zealand with a total of $52$ participants aged $15$–$16$ years.
• Ethical approval: University of Canterbury Ethics Committee.

Methods: Study Design and Data Collection

• Design: qualitative study using projective techniques to reveal symbolic meanings.
• Participants: $52$ students aged $15–16$ years from three schools; ethical approval obtained.
• Data collection methods (three workshop activities):
  • Post-it notes: students answered three questions as a warm-up:
  • What is zero alcohol?
  • What is alcohol as its counterpart?
  • What are motivations for drinking zero alcohol vs. drinking alcohol, and could zero alcohol replace alcohol?
  • Photo association: participants selected pictures representing zero alcohol vs. alcohol and then explained their reasoning for the choices.
  • Story completion with art: students created a mini narrative of a party scenario describing drinking behaviors and well-being, using stickers, emojis, and comic-strip elements to express themselves.
• Analysis: thematic analysis of both textual and visual data, organized with NVivo software.
• Teaching resource: a resource was produced for teachers to use in health classes; designed to be easily adaptable.
• Timeframe: research conducted in school health contexts; one-hour workshop per class.

Findings: Symbolic Meanings of Zero Alcohol and Alcohol for Youth

• Theme 1: Zero alcohol aids social fitting and inclusion
  • Visual example: a party scene with a driver (the one who brings alcohol) and two non-drinkers hiding in the kitchen; Miniyama (the zero-alcohol bearer) sits between the non-drinkers and drinkers, acting as a social bridge.
  • Interpretation: zero-alcohol can help people appear to be drinking (social veneer) while not consuming alcohol, thus aiding social inclusion.
  • Supporting quotes: e.g., “the zero alcohol would be for people that don’t like to drink but wanna sort of fit in” and references to 0% labels resembling regular drinks (e.g., 0% Heineken).
• Theme 2: Zero alcohol provides protective benefits
  • Rational decision-making: seen as safer and a way to avoid irrational decisions.
  • Safety and risk reduction: perceived to reduce health risks and safety risks (e.g., drunk driving, beach or ball events where safety is a concern).
  • Contexts highlighting responsibility: appropriate in family settings (barbecues, weddings) and sports contexts (e.g., rugby) where performance or role-modeling matters.
  • Minor themes: external motivations such as parental expectations and personal/religious values influence zero-alcohol choices.
• Theme 3: Zero alcohol signals responsibility and acts as a symbol of social responsibility
  • People may choose zero alcohol to act responsibly in public events or around children; aligns with youth values around safety and parental expectations.
• Theme 4: Alcohol is strongly associated with hedonic pleasure and social facilitation
  • Alcohol linked to fun, energy, confidence, and “letting loose” at gigs, concerts, and social gatherings.
  • Zero alcohol contexts that are inherently fun (e.g., beaches, weddings with a celebratory mood) may still not require alcohol; alcohol is seen as adding “fun” in other contexts.
  • Some participants worry that zero alcohol cannot replicate the social lubrication or the same fun experience that alcohol provides.
• Theme 5: There is ambiguity about zero alcohol as a gateway or substitute
  • For some, zero alcohol could replace alcohol in contexts where the motivation is safety/responsibility or social fitting, but for hedonic motivations, zero-alcohol substitutes may not be sufficient.
  • Some participants suggest that zero alcohol could still be a gateway to exploring new social dynamics without alcohol, but longitudinal data is needed to confirm any gateway effect.
• Theme 6: Zero alcohol and coping mechanisms
  • Alcohol viewed as a coping mechanism for stress; youth worry that removing alcohol without offering alternatives could remove coping options and affect social environments.
  • A participant expressed concern about removing coping mechanisms and potentially altering community dynamics if alcohol is replaced without substitutes.
• Theme 7: The symbolic meanings of alcohol brands and zero-alcohol brands
  • Alcohol brands are associated with hedonism, social lubrication, and confidence building; zero-alcohol brands can be seen as safety, responsibility, and social inclusion, but may not replicate the entire set of alcohol’s symbolic functions.

Findings: Character Archetypes Used to Represent Brands

• Alcohol archetypes:
  • Ethan: the one who brings vodka (40 oz), drinks all, gets sick; portrayed as the villain, often depicted as out of control, aggressive, and disruptive.
  • Jake: the non-regular drinker who is pressured; portrayed as an explorer who benefits from alcohol by enabling connection and confidence, but can be pushed over the edge if not careful.
• Zero-alcohol archetypes (as portrayed through participants’ narratives):
  • Miniyama: the empowered, confident woman who brings zero alcohol; depicted positively with “girl boss” imagery, suggesting social empowerment and bridging roles; sometimes seen as a superhero symbol (a superhero cake image mentioned by participants).
  • Sarah: the innocent non-drinker; often depicted as weak or vulnerable in most portrayals unless supported by a friend like Mariama; represents the risk of stigma for non-drinkers.
  • Mariama: serves as the bridge between non-drinkers and drinkers; her support elevates Sarah’s standing and reduces stigma.
• Overall implications of archetypes:
  • Zero-alcohol brands can carry positive symbolism of safety, responsibility, and empowerment when aligned with youth values.
  • Risks include reinforcing negative stereotypes about non-drinkers unless inclusive storytelling is used (e.g., demonstrating support networks).
  • The portrayal of zero-alcohol use as “superhuman” can be empowering in some contexts but may also create unrealistic expectations.

Implications for Policy, Practice, and Public Health Messaging

• Policy and regulation enhancements
  • Support for increasing restrictions on alcohol availability in settings frequented by youth to delay uptake (e.g., decoupling marketing from fun events).
  • Strengthen restrictions on advertising and product placements that link alcohol with enjoyable, youth-centric activities.
  • Consider broader decoupling of zero-alcohol marketing from alcohol marketing to avoid cross-promotional effects.
• Education and community-based interventions
  • Expand school-based health education to cover coping skills, emotion regulation, and positive emotion management as alternatives to alcohol use.
  • Increase community mobilization and parental involvement to reinforce healthy norms, including peer norms and the social implications of drinking.
  • Promote positive narratives that frame places and events as safe and enjoyable without alcohol (denormalize alcohol in contexts where it is often expected).
• Alternative environments and opportunities
  • Identify and promote intrinsically fun activities that do not require alcohol, to provide youth with appealing alternatives.
  • Invest in facilities and programs for alcohol harm reduction, prevention, and recovery resources with local co-creation (e.g., involving councils and communities).
• Messaging and narrative shifts
  • Emphasize safety, responsibility, respect, and social inclusion as positive attributes of zero-alcohol use.
  • Provide guidance on recognizing and handling peer pressure, and on choosing non-alcoholic options without social penalty.
• Practical considerations for implementation
  • The training resource created for schools can be adapted for local contexts and used in health classes; duration is about one hour.
  • A future agenda includes developing a train-the-trainer resource for local communities and schools, potentially in collaboration with Tuturu/Tutaru (National educational bodies) and similar organizations.
• Open questions and cautions
  • Longitudinal and causal data are needed to determine whether zero-alcohol acts as a gateway or substitute in youth drinking trajectories.
  • The potential for surrogate marketing effects (zero-alcohol brands linked to alcohol advertisement tactics) remains uncertain and warrants further study.
  • Acknowledge variability by gender, culture (Maori, Pacific), and local context; sample sizes in this study were small, so broader replication is needed.

Limitations and Future Research Directions

• Limitations
  • Small sample: $52$ participants across $3$ schools; limited demographic breakdown (e.g., Maori and Pacific representation limited).
  • Self-reported data from youth; potential social desirability bias.
  • The study focused on symbolic meanings and did not establish causality or longitudinal effects.
• Future research
  • Conduct longitudinal, nationwide surveys to explore correlations between zero-alcohol exposure and later alcohol use (gateway vs. substitution).
  • Examine causal relationships and potential moderating factors (e.g., gender, culture, family dynamics, baseline attitudes).
  • Investigate the impact of zero-alcohol marketing tactics and surrogate marketing on youth perceptions and behaviors.
  • Develop and test a train-the-trainer pack for enabling local communities to implement zero-alcohol education and harm-reduction initiatives.

Representative Q&A Highlights and Practical Insights

• Resource development and dissemination
  • Question: Is there a plan to develop a resource or train-the-trainer pack for local use?
  • Answer: It could be done; collaboration with national bodies (e.g., Tuturu) would support dissemination; a teaching resource for schools exists and could be expanded.
• Behavioral and contextual questions
  • Question: Did any youth discuss using zero-alcohol and alcoholic drinks in the same sitting (e.g., to drink less overall)?
  • Answer: Not in this study's youth sample; observed in tertiary student samples, who discussed strategies like starting with zero-alcohol and consuming a regular beer later.
• Demographics and sampling questions
  • Question: Any insights by gender or by Maori/Pacific representation?
  • Answer: Small numbers; five Pacific and three Māori students; results are not enough to draw strong conclusions about these groups.
• Policy relevance and implementation
  • Question: Could the findings inform policy to regulate advertising/placement around events and schools?
  • Answer: Yes; the data support decoupling marketing from fun events and strengthening restrictions; longitudinal data are needed to quantify causal effects.
• Ethical and community considerations
  • Participant comment: Emphasized the potential to co-create local resources and involve families/whānau in education and prevention efforts.
• Practical takeaways for practitioners
  • Use the qualitative storytelling approach (story completion with art) to reduce judgment and facilitate student reflection on drinking norms.
  • Normalize non-alcoholic options in social settings as acceptable and enjoyable to mitigate peer pressure.

Quick Reference: Key Figures and Terms

• Participants: $52$ youths aged $15$–$16$ years.
• Schools: $3$ across NZ.
• Research question anchors: symbolic meaning of zero alcohol; influence on current and future drinking behaviors.
• Observed percentages and scopes: the Australia survey cited: $37\%$ of ages $15–70$ had tried zero alcohol.
• Licensure and policy concepts mentioned: licensing, age restrictions, supervised sales, and local alcohol policies; 0% alcohol area placement in supermarkets is a practical detail highlighted for context.
• Notable symbolic themes: safety, responsibility, social inclusion, hedonism, social lubrication, coping, and potential gateway dynamics.

Closing Reflections

• The research contributes a nuanced understanding of how zero-alcohol brands are interpreted by youth and how those interpretations relate to social dynamics and potential policy responses.
• It underscores the need for careful, longitudinal evidence to determine gateway effects and to inform balanced harm-reduction approaches that respect youth agency and social needs.
• Ongoing collaboration with schools, communities, and national bodies can help translate these insights into effective, context-sensitive interventions.

Appendix: Direct Quotes (Illustrative Examples)

• On fitting in: "zero alcohol would be for people that don't like to drink but wanna sort of fit in"; 0% labels resemble regular alcohol packaging (e.g., Heineken 0%).
• On protection and safety: zero alcohol seen as safer in events like a ball or at the beach; reduces risk of impaired decisions or accidents.
• On responsibility: zero-alcohol as appropriate in family settings, public events, and sports contexts to model responsible behavior.
• On hedonic appeal: alcohol described as adding fun, energy, and confidence; zero alcohol seen as insufficient for social lubrication in some cases.
• On archetypes: Ethan as the villain; Jake as explorer; Mariama as ally; Miniyama as empowered figure; Sarah as innocent/non-drinker needing support.