Low and No Alcohol Alternatives “Ingrained in Consumer Responsible Drinking” says Report

The Por tman Group’s fifth annual research repor t into UK public attitudes to low and no alcohol alternatives is an impor tant point to pause and take stock of an historic increase in the sales over the categor y over this time

The repor t reveals the market has grown by over 130% from sales at £108 million in 2018/19 to one today wor th £255 million, and has matured and perhaps the categor y has now settled in the minds of consumers

The results show how these products have become ingrained with UK alcohol drinkers and their moderation habits, but sound a note of caution after years of explosive growth, suggesting fur ther steps may need to be taken to foster fur ther growth the repor ts says

The Por tman Group once again par tnered with the market research company

YouGov to commission an online poll of YouGov sur veyed 2 381 adults across the UK online between 28 and 29 November 2022 The figures have been weighted and are representative of all UK adults (aged 18+)

The research continues to tell a positive stor y of how low and no products have become par t of UK consumer buying habits Five years of polling have given a substantial data set to reflect and build conclusions It shows how these products are by and large bought by current alcohol drinkers, as a key tool for moderation and responsible drinking

It is leading to a significant propor tion of alcohol drinkers to have cut back their weekly alcohol consumption since first tr ying a low and no alcohol alternative

These findings are echoed in recent research published by the independent charity Drinkaware which found that the use of alcohol-free/low alcohol drinks as a moderation technique’ (things people do to moderate their drinking) of reducing by drinkers is increasing”

It also found that “Some risky drinkers use alcohol-free/low alcohol as a tool to decrease their overall alcohol intake , par ticularly once they have decided that they are drinking too much alcohol ”

Polling may also suggest that neither the industr y nor the Government should take continued growth for granted, and the Por tman Group are urging greater awareness and availability of alcohol alternatives, especially in hospitality settings, would help ensure continued growth in the sector

Another key step would be for the UK Government to launch the long-awaited consultation on low alcohol descriptors this year The consultation would seek views on updating the terminolog y around the various ways in which products below 1 2%ABV are marketed – a key source of confusion for UK consumers The consultation is also a chance for the UK to be brought in line with our Western European neighbours and deem products 0 5% ABV and below as ‘alcohol-free’ This would also be in line with the UK Licensing Act which deems products 0 5%ABV and below to be non-alcoholic