A Gen Z relationship may not look quite like the old-fashioned twosome your grandparents had in mind. In fact, new research suggests that this Valentine’s Day is less about traditional couples and more about throuples, platonic partnerships, and consensual non-monogamy—shedding light on how love is evolving for modern Brits in their 20s and 30s.
According to a survey of 2,000 young adults, just over half (51%) have experienced or are open to having an unconventional relationship.
This shift has led two-thirds (66%) to believe that Valentine’s Day is far too focused on an outdated vision of love. Indeed, one in six (15%) respondents admit to being in—or having been in—a throuple, where three people share a committed romantic bond.
Yet throuples are only one piece of this new landscape. More than a third (36%) have tried an open relationship that allows emotional connections beyond the primary partner, while 28% have experienced a “monogamish” setup—where occasional side relationships are permitted by mutual agreement.
Even “empty love” arrangements, where a couple remains committed but passion has fizzled, appeal to 9% of respondents.
PLATONIC AND ACE PARTNERSHIPS It’s not all about sex and romance, either. Fourteen percent have friends in a platonic partnership—a deep emotional bond without romantic attraction—and 12% know someone in an ACE relationship, where romantic and emotional ties remain intact but physical attraction is minimal or absent.
These findings echo the sentiment among 84% of respondents who feel young Brits are redefining what a modern relationship looks like.
A further 82% say love is love—no matter the form—and 88% believe happiness is the only standard that truly counts.
CELEBRATING MODERN LOVE Winemaker 19 Crimes decided to toast these shifting dynamics by launching limited-edition Valentine’s wine bottles that honour all kinds of relationships—whether throuple, long-distance, or open.
Ahead of the big day, the brand teamed up with poet, DJ, and rapper James Massiah to remix a handful of classic love poems, giving them a contemporary twist for today’s audience.
Among the works reimagined are Shakespeare’s “Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?” and Robert Burns’s “A Red, Red Rose.”
The modern poetry project comes at a time when 60% of young people feel frustrated by a lack of literary representations of non-traditional partnerships.
One in six (16%) even consider much of yesteryear’s romantic canon to be sexist, while 11% wish those works included neutral pronouns to capture a wider spectrum of identities and attractions.
REFRAMING AN OLD HOLIDAY Chantal McDowell, Senior Brand Manager at 19 Crimes, acknowledges the changing landscape: “19 Crimes feel that Valentine’s Day is an outdated celebration of love. We wanted to create a limited-edition Valentine’s label that celebrates and reflects all of the different types of modern relationships and encourage consumers to gift a bottle to someone.”
This year, if you find yourself raising a glass on February 14, it might be with two partners, in a long-distance setup, or purely platonic—and that’s worth a celebratory toast.
After all, a Gen Z relationship is proving that love can be more expansive, inclusive, and creative than ever before.