Brits are on track to drink more than 200 million pints of low and no-alcohol beer this year, marking a record milestone that underlines a profound shift in the nation’s drinking habits.
Consumption of “no and low” beers is forecast to rise almost a fifth from 2024 levels, when around 170 million pints were sold, according to research from the British Beer & Pub Association. The trade body expects around 22 million pints to be poured in December alone, as pubs and drinkers increasingly embrace alcohol-free alternatives during the festive period.
The growth has been dramatic. Volumes in the low and no-alcohol category have risen by more than 750 per cent since 2013, driven by significant investment from brewers and changing consumer attitudes towards health and moderation. Separate figures from Drinkaware show that 45 per cent of adults have consumed no or low-alcohol drinks in the past year, up from just 22 per cent in 2021.
Pub operators say the trend is reshaping the bar. Greene King, one of the UK’s largest pub groups, has reported a 36 per cent rise in alcohol-free drink sales over the past year across its 1,600 managed sites, with packaged zero per cent beer and cider accounting for more than 70 per cent of those sales.
For specialist brewers, the shift is becoming embedded year-round. Luke Boase, founder of Lucky Saint, which is now available on draught in around 1,000 pubs, said demand had reached record levels. “We’re seeing this across every month of the year – it’s becoming ingrained in how people are drinking,” he said.
Emma McClarkin, chief executive of the BBPA, said the surge showed how effectively the industry was responding to changing tastes. “The pub has always been about more than just getting a drink, and it’s inspiring to see so many people choosing to moderate while still celebrating and socialising,” she said.
Despite the growth, brewers argue that regulation is holding the category back. In the UK, beer must be below 0.05 per cent alcohol by volume to be labelled “alcohol-free”, a stricter threshold than in many other countries, where up to 0.5 per cent is permitted. McClarkin said modernising the definition would bring the UK into line with international markets and unlock further investment and innovation.
The shift towards moderation is also creating challenges for established global brewers, as younger, more health-conscious consumers drink less alcohol overall. Low and no-alcohol beers accounted for about 2 per cent of global beer volumes last year, according to IWSR, the drinks analytics firm, which expects that share to rise to 3 per cent by 2027.
Earlier this month, Budweiser Brewing Group, the UK and Ireland arm of Anheuser-Busch InBev, opened its second European de-alcoholisation facility at its brewery in Magor, South Wales. The move means alcohol-free brands such as Corona Cero and Stella Artois 0.0 will, for the first time, be produced in Britain rather than imported from Belgium – a further sign that the no and low-alcohol boom is moving firmly into the mainstream.
