In France, the new edition of the January Challenge highlights the importance of social marketing campaigns

The January Challenge launches its seventh edition on the 1st^er as of January 31, 2026[1]. This is the French version of "Dry January," which originated in the UK in 2013 and has since spread to many countries in Europe and around the world, aiming to encourage people to reduce or even stop alcohol consumption. According to the organizers, this prevention campaign is now widely recognized, including in everyday settings such as cafes and restaurants, where alcohol-free alternatives are becoming increasingly available. This type of large-scale social marketing campaign aligns with the "Month Without Tobacco" initiative, held every November, whose health and economic benefits have been particularly well-documented.

Growing popularity, especially among young adults

In France, the January Challenge operation does not benefit from institutional support like the No Tobacco Month, being carried out by regional networks and civil society actors such as the French Society of Alcohol Studies, the Addictions France Association, the French Federation of Addictology, the National League Against Cancer and the Addiction Federation.

Each year, the January Challenge brings together 4.5 million French people (according to 2024 estimates), inviting them to examine and better control their alcohol consumption, at their own pace and according to their personal goals, while France remains heavily affected by alcoholism: The 2025 edition of the Health at a Glance report published by the OECD indicates a level of alcohol consumption higher than the international average., with 10.4 litres of pure alcohol per capita, compared to an average of 8.5 litres across the OECD.

THE January Challenge Participants receive regular emails of support and encouragement throughout the month, as well as mutual aid on social media and the Try Dry and MyDéfi apps. The latter, developed by healthcare professionals, allows participants to track their consumption and contribute to the production of data useful for research, while benefiting from informative and practical support.

According to a 2025 survey conducted by the Toluna Harris Interactive institute for the association behind the January Challenge[2], more than half of the French (55 %) say they have already heard of this initiative, including 37 % who say they know exactly what it is about.

Among those who consume alcohol, one in two say they are ready to participate in the 2026 edition. Among them, 31% plan not to drink alcohol at all, and 19% plan to significantly reduce their usual consumption.

This intention is particularly high among young adults: 76% of 18-24 year olds and 69% of 25-34 year olds plan to participate, compared to 39% of people over 50.

Younger people are also more likely to say they want to abstain from alcohol completely during the month of January.

A health and wellness approach with rapid and lasting benefits

This dynamic is part of a broader trend of questioning alcohol consumption norms, particularly among younger generations. Recent research shows a gradual decline in alcohol consumption and an increased focus on well-being, health, nutrition, and work-life balance.

The motivations cited by potential participants in the January Challenge reflect these concerns: improved health and well-being, recovery after the holiday season, or a personal challenge. Unlike smokers and their motivations for quitting, financial considerations appear to be a secondary factor.

A study conducted by the French Society of Alcoholism and Addictology among participants in the 2025 edition highlights rapid and lasting benefits: the results indicate an improvement in mental health, physical fitness, sleep quality, as well as a significant and prolonged reduction in alcohol consumption in a majority of participants, without subsequent compensatory effect.

Thus, eight months after participating in the January Challenge, 58% of respondents reported having reduced their alcohol consumption.[3]. This public health initiative is now considered the most effective in preventing alcohol-related risks.

The January Challenge is also presented as a non-stigmatizing approach, which can be carried out individually or collectively.

This effective public health initiative is linked to the "Month Without Tobacco" social marketing campaign.

Every November is organized with a near perspective No Tobacco Month, encouraging smoking cessation for a whole month: quitting smoking for 30 days effectively multiplies the chances of long-term success by five.

This campaign is beneficial for public health: since its launch in 2016, more than 1.4 million online registrations have been recorded on the "Month Without Tobacco" website, and twice as many people have reportedly attempted to quit smoking as a result of the campaign.[4].The downward trend in adult smoking has been reinforced by this measure, as highlighted by the latest surveys from Public Health France: in 2024, 24% of adults aged 18 to 79 reported smoking tobacco (compared to 32% in 2021), including 17.4% who smoked daily (compared to 25% in 2021). This has helped prevent numerous cases of lower respiratory infections, cancers, and cardiovascular diseases.

It is also particularly cost-effective according to Public Health France and the OECD: over the period 2023-2050, it could save €94 million annually in healthcare spending and €85 million in improvements to employment and productivity.[5]. With an annual cost of 12.5 million euros, this campaign offers a return on investment of 7 euros for every 1 euro invested, or even 14 euros if we include the consequences on the labor market.

This recurring mobilization is an essential component of the fight against tobacco and is part of an overall strategy, with various proven measures implemented within the framework of the National Tobacco Control Programme 2023–2027, whose long-term objective is to achieve a tobacco-free generation by 2032.

©Generation Without Tobacco

AD

[1]France Assos Santé, January 2026 challenge: we're sure to win!, Published on December 29, 2025, accessed the same day

[2]Toluna Harris Interactive, The French and the January Challenge, Published in December 2025, accessed on December 29, 2025

[3]Occupational health and safety service for the Nantes region, January challenge: a one-month break that permanently changes habits, Published on December 29, 2025, accessed the same day

[4]Public Health France, No Tobacco Month 2025: the 10th edition is launched!, Published on October 6, 2025, accessed on December 30, 2025

[5]Guignard R, Devaux M, Nguyen-Thanh V, Lerouge A, Dorfmuller Ciampi M, Cecchini M et al., Health and economic evaluation of the "Month Without Tobacco" campaign: a positive return on investment, Bull Epidemiol Hebd. 2024;(22):492-8, http://beh.santepubliquefrance.fr/beh/2024/22/2024_22_1.html, Accessed December 31, 2025

National Committee Against Smoking |