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.
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