- World’s largest online therapy service, BetterHelp, backs the 2025 Dry January® challenge by Alcohol Change UK
- Leading no- and low-alcohol drinks brands rally behind 31-day challenge helping people reset their drinking habits
November 2024 |
19 minutes
Alcohol Change UK has secured a headline partner and a raft of official partners for its globally renowned Dry January® challenge in 2025.
Set to be the biggest Dry January® challenge since it launched in 2013, Alcohol Change UK’s bold vision for 2025 looks to reach and help more of the millions of people keen to reset their relationship with alcohol in January and beyond.
To support this vision, the world’s largest online therapy service, BetterHelp, is backing the campaign as its first headline partner to date. Known for improving access to therapy and empowering people to take control of their mental health, BetterHelp’s support reflects the scale of the 2025 Dry January® challenge, while highlighting the connection between alcohol consumption and mental health. As part of its partnership, BetterHelp will provide an exclusive offer to those participating in the 2025 Dry January® challenge with Alcohol Change UK, offering extra support for mental well-being throughout the month.
Alongside BetterHelp, the roster of official partners for the 2025 Dry January® challenge include alcohol-free beer giant Lucky Saint, Lyre’s non-alcoholic spirits and sparkling wines, Counter Culture Kombucha and wonky-fruit infused healthy soft drinks brand, DASH Water. TRIP, a global leader in calming CBD and magnesium-infused soft drinks and alcohol-free marketplace Wise Bartender also join the fold as official brands of the 2025 Dry January® challenge. Collectively, they share Alcohol Change UK’s ambition to help more people around the world unlock the health and wellbeing benefits of a break from alcohol, while shifting it from the spotlight in their day-to-day lives.
In the last five years alone, the number of people planning an alcohol-free January has more than doubled from 4.2 million in 2019 to 8.5 million in 2024. To help this rapidly growing community have a successful 31-days alcohol-free and unlock maximum benefit, Alcohol Change UK offers participants of the Dry January® challenge a collection of tools and resources, including the free Try Dry app®, daily coaching emails and a vibrant online peer-to-peer community.
Independent research found that those taking on the Dry January® challenge with Alcohol Change UK’s tools and resources double their chances of a successful alcohol-free month vs those attempting to avoid alcohol on their own. In addition, 70% of Dry January® challenge participants are still drinking less alcohol six months later and experiencing significantly improved wellbeing and reduced alcohol-related health risks long-term.
Dr Richard Piper, CEO of Alcohol Change UK, said:
“The New Year offers all of us an opportunity to set our goals for the 12 months ahead. Increasingly for many, this includes a desire to improve our relationship with alcohol. That’s because there is a growing recognition of alcohol’s impact on our health, wellbeing and quality of life - from headaches, sleepless nights and feeling ‘off’ the next day, to high blood pressure, anxiety, and cancer. These wide-ranging impacts affect so many of us.
“High quality digital programmes offer convenience and privacy to make real changes to our lives. As the UK’s leading digital behaviour change programme for alcohol, thousands of people take advantage of Try Dry® year-round. The Dry January® challenge plays a key role in connecting people to this proven circuit breaker that helps them achieve lasting changes to their relationship with alcohol.
“More than 1 million people have downloaded our Try Dry® app since 2019 alone and the support, energy and passion of our partners over the years has been critical to this success. As January 2025 approaches, we are hugely grateful to BetterHelp, Lucky Saint, Lyre’s, Counter Culture, DASH Water, TRIP Drinks and Wise Bartender for their support. With their help, we will reach more people than ever, saving and improving lives in families and communities in the UK and beyond.”
Sara Brooks, Chief Marketing Officer at BetterHelp, Headline Partner of the Dry January® 2025 challenge, said:
“Mental and physical health are deeply intertwined. As the world's largest online mental health platform, we at BetterHelp are excited to partner with Alcohol Change UK and sponsor the 2025 Dry January® challenge to help even more people take proactive steps towards holistic health in the New Year.”
Alcohol Change UK research suggests that no- and low-alcohol drinks can be helpful for cutting down and managing our alcohol consumption. As well as helping moderate drinkers cut back, alcohol-free alternatives are a vital tool for people drinking at increased or higher-risk levels, with 83% who have successfully cut down citing alcohol-free or low-alcohol drinks to be important.
Luke Boase, Founder of Lucky Saint, Official Beer of the Dry January® 2025 challenge, said:
“Marking our fourth year supporting the Dry January® challenge, Lucky Saint is proud to continue our longstanding partnership with Alcohol Change UK in 2025. We believe the greatest reward of drinking is the social connection, not the alcohol. That doesn’t change in January - people still want to socialise, have fun and enjoy a beer with their family and friends.
“Lucky Saint supports people consciously choosing to drink less alcohol year-round and January is an important moment for establishing new habits and carrying these behaviours on throughout the year. From enjoying them at special occasions or in our day-to-day lives, the adoption of alcohol-free continues and Lucky Saint is proud to be playing our part.”
Kristy Bloomfield, Chief Marketing Officer at Lyre’s, Official Spirit and Wine of the Dry January® 2025 challenge, said:
“Our partnership with Alcohol Change UK underscores our shared commitment to promoting connection and sociability whilst allowing consumers to abstain from a month of alcohol. Lyre’s has their premium cocktails ranged from some of the best venues, bars, retailers across the globe, which means that people can support this brilliant cause, take a month of the alcohol but not have to compromise on their sociability or connection with friends. As we say here at Lyre's. Your drink, Your way. No compromise. Lyre's allows you to stay in these great moments of connection for longer."
Tom Smart, Co-founder and CEO of Counter Culture, Official Kombucha of the Dry January® 2025 challenge, said:
“Counter Culture exists for two reasons - to bridge the divide between alcoholic drinks and soft drinks and to use our business as a vehicle to fundraise for causes that share our values. We see Alcohol Change UK as one of these causes and are honoured to be the Official Kombucha of the 2025 Dry January® challenge. Given the flavour complexities achieved through the fermentation of tea, we believe kombucha is a fantastic alternative to alcohol and want to make seeing it in pubs, bars, taprooms and restaurants the norm. The Dry January® challenge is the perfect platform to help us achieve this. To mark our partnership and raise awareness of the Try Dry® app, we are releasing a new flavour in our range named ‘Try Dry®’. This refreshing citrus yuzu kombucha features label artwork inspired by the Dry January® challenge and a QR code to download the Try Dry® app. Our team will also be taking part via the Try Dry® app, venturing from Bristol to Alcohol Change UK’s HQ in London in our tuk-tuk kombucha bar, as well as lacing up our trainers for the Dry January® 10k run.”
Jack Scott, Co-founder of DASH Water, Official Soft Drink of the Dry January 2025 challenge, said:
“As the Official Soft Drink of the 2025 Dry January® challenge, our aim is to excite and energise everyone taking part with our lineup of delicious soft drinks infused with real wonky fruit - all with zero sugar, zero sweeteners and zero calories. Research shows that more than half of participants are motivated by health reasons and we're here to show that embracing a healthy and alcohol-free lifestyle can be fun and flavourful. Whether served over ice or sipped straight from a can, our drinks offer great taste with zero guilt, helping to add some sparkle to the Dry January® challenge.”
To find out more about the Dry January® 2025 challenge by Alcohol Change UK, including how to take part and download the Try Dry® app, the tool to rule your Dry January® challenge, please visit www.dryjanuary.org.uk.
Ends.
Notes to editors
Alcohol Change UK – The charity behind the Dry January® challenge
Alcohol Change UK is an independent charity working for a world free from alcohol harm. We fund, commission and share research; provide information and advice; work to ensure more and better support and treatment; encourage better policy and regulation; shift drinking cultures through our campaigns; and work to change drinking behaviours. Find out more.
Dry January® trademark notice
Dry January® is a registered trademark of Alcohol Change UK. We request that any articles referencing Dry January® are only used to describe people signing up to take part in the Dry January® challenge by Alcohol Change UK, using the tools and resources we provide such as the Try Dry® app and our daily email coaching journey.
Research shows that anyone taking part in the Dry January® challenge by Alcohol Change UK is twice as likely to be successful in having an alcohol-free month and change their drinking habits longer-term, compared to those attempting an alcohol-free month on their own in January. Therefore, to ensure people get the most positive benefits from the challenge, it's helpful to be clear on what it means to take part.
Taking part in the Dry January® challenge by Alcohol Change UK gives people access to:
- The Try Dry® app - the tool to rule your Dry January® challenge: Backed by behavioural science and designed to guide you through the 31 days, you can track your units, calories and money saved, log your dry days, earn badges, access tips, stories and more
- Your Dry January® email journey: Daily coaching emails with tips, tricks, inspiration and information from experts in alcohol, to make your month easier and more fun
- The amazing Dry January® online community on Facebook where you can connect with others and shares your experiences
- A whole host of web content including dozens of fascinating personal stories and expert advice and information
It’s easy to take part:
- If you'd prefer not to use an app, you can sign up to take part via the website at dryjanuary.org.uk
Important advice on alcohol withdrawal
If you drink very heavily or regularly, the Dry January® challenge may not be for you. People who are clinically alcohol dependent can die if they suddenly, completely stop drinking. If you experience fits, shaking hands, sweating, seeing things that are not real, depression, anxiety, or difficulty sleeping after a period of drinking and while sobering up, then you may be clinically alcohol dependent and should NOT suddenly, completely stop drinking.
But you can still take control of your drinking. Talk to a GP or your local community alcohol service who will be able to get help for you to reduce your drinking safely. Find out more.
Headline Partner and Official Partners of the 2025 Dry January® challenge by Alcohol Change UK:
- Headline Partner of the Dry January® challenge – BetterHelp
- Official Beer of the Dry January® challenge – Lucky Saint
- Official Spirit and Wine of the Dry January® challenge – Lyre’s
- Official Kombucha of the Dry January® challenge – Counter Culture
- Official Soft Drink of the Dry January® challenge – DASH Water
- Official Brand of the Dry January® challenge – TRIP Drinks
- Official Brand of the Dry January® challenge – Wise Bartender
About BetterHelp
BetterHelp was founded in 2013 to remove the traditional barriers to therapy and make mental health care more accessible to everyone. Today, it’s the world’s largest online therapy service – providing professional, affordable therapy in a convenient online format. BetterHelp’s network of over 30,000 licensed therapists has helped millions of people take ownership of their mental health and work towards their personal goals. As the unmet need for mental health services persists, BetterHelp is committed to expanding access to therapy globally.
Please note that BetterHelp does not specialise in drug and alcohol counselling or treatment for addiction.
About Lucky Saint
Since launching in 2018, Lucky Saint has become the #1 independently owned alcohol-free beer brand in the UK, driven by the mission to finally reward those not drinking with the beer they deserve. Lucky Saint has partnered with Alcohol Change UK as the Official Beer of the Dry January® challenge since 2021. The hugely successful Alcohol-Free Superior Unfiltered Lager has seen exponential growth, as well as celebrating many category firsts. Lucky Saint was the first independent alcohol-free producer to launch across the UK on draught and to join the British Beer & Pub Association in the organisation’s 120-year history.
Lucky Saint is now available in thousands of pubs, bars, and restaurants, over 80 Michelin star venues as well as many major retailers including Tesco, Sainsbury's, Waitrose, M&S, Ocado and Morrisons. In 2024, Lucky Saint launched its alcohol-free Hazy IPA. Lucky Saint has already trained its entire team in Mental Health First Aid, as well as hundreds of hospitality professionals - part of the brand’s mission to ensure it has a positive environmental impact alongside the brand’s official B-Corp status.
About Lyre’s
Lyre’s Non-Alcoholic is an alcohol-free range of classic spirits and a sparkling wine, created using a unique understanding of food science and flavour architecture. The range is the world’s most comprehensive and awarded solution for mindful drinking, equivalent to the most popular spirits in a non-alcoholic format. Lyre’s portfolio of premium non-alcoholic spirits is capable of crafting 90% of the world’s best-selling cocktails. A frictionless swap of the original alcoholic ingredient for a Lyre’s non-alcoholic delivers all the benefits of a premium sophisticated serve without compromise. You can enjoy a low or no alcohol alternative to all your favourite drinks, just by making it a Lyre’s.
Lyre’s currently sells one bottle every 30 seconds in over 60 countries across multiple channels, including direct-to-consumer, and in leading restaurants, bars, hotels, retailers, and airlines. All products are vegan, low sugar, and packaging is 100% recyclable. Lyre’s was created to change the way the world drinks. Simply choose your drink and make it a Lyre’s. Visit lyres.co.uk for more information.
About Counter Culture Drinks
Counter Culture Drinks is a Bristol-based fermented drinks company. We create adult softs for youthful minds because we believe dry doesn't have to mean boring. Brewed at our carbon neutral fermentary in Bristol, we wrap our kombucha cans in bold artworks by local artists that explore societal trends and provoke debate. Our purpose is supported by our three Cs: Charity, Culture & Climate. We believe in them and our whole business is built around them. We've unconventionally donated 51% of our shares to non-profit organisations and it’s our ambition to raise £1m+ to help support these social and environmental initiatives. To find out more about us, visit https://www.counterculturedrinks.com/
About DASH Water
Founders Jack Scott and Alex Wright used to sell mainstream soft drinks. Both from farming backgrounds, they’ve seen first-hand just how much produce never reaches our plates. They were inspired to do something about it and do it 100% naturally. This paved the way for DASH Water, which launched in 2017. The young entrepreneurial duo has seized a gap in the market, as consumers turn their back on traditional soft drinks full of sugar or sweetener. As a Certified B Corporation and as part of their commitment to raising awareness of food waste and the environmental impact of the business, DASH is on a mission to celebrate wonky fruit to make delicious and healthy drinks. A sustainable business doing more for the planet, people and taste buds. Buy all flavours now at www.dash-water.com.
