Non-Alcoholic Drinks
An opportunity in abstinence Seamus May explores what is driving the popularity of non-alcoholic occasions, and why no alcohol is no problem for retailers.
For those in the liquor retail business,
Zero are, and whether it’s something they’d
month to do it… Same with Canada and the
it might seem counterintuitive to focus
like to include in their fridge ongoing,
Czech Republic.”
marketing and retailing efforts on occasions
for those occasions where a zero alcohol
dedicated to actively avoiding alcohol.
product is more suited.”
Nevertheless, according to Chris Allan,
The scope of these occasions has now gone beyond their charitable origins, helping give rise to permanent changes in
Brand Director of XXXX, alcohol abstinence
A global trend
months like that of Dry July, Ocsober and
There are now several periods of the year when
As West said: “Over the past few years,
FebFast are now too large, and too lucrative,
drinkers are encouraged to moderate their
consumers have been choosing to moderate
for retailers to ignore. In fact, XXXX Zero,
intake of alcohol or abstain from drinking
their alcohol intake for their own reasons
the brand’s first non-alcoholic option in
entirely. In many cases, these occasions have
and it has certainly become more of a bigger
nearly 150 years of brewing, was released
been developed by charities as a fundraising
lifestyle choice elevating the growth of no-
in the run up to Dry July this year.
drive via pledges and sponsorships.
low products as a category.”
consumer habits.
“It presents an exciting incremental
Non-alcoholic months have moved from
According to Rebecca Yeates, Director of
purchase opportunity for retailers, to have
localised, small-scale efforts to a worldwide
Trade Marketing & Category for CUB, these
consumers purchase XXXX for more occasions
phenomenon, with Australia right at the
patterns are being repeated in Australia.
through their week,” Allan explained.
cutting edge of the trend, as Big Drop’s
“Some of the biggest barriers to drinking
Darren West illustrates.
“What we are seeing is an increase in consumers choosing to moderate, and that
non-alcoholic beer is not understanding
“On a global level, Dry July has spawned
Dry July boosts non-alcoholic sales during
its relevance or a misconception that it
many variations. In the UK, it didn’t really
the cooler months, which typically under-
won’t taste as good as mid strength or full
start until 2013, when the charity Alcohol
index for this offer,” Yeates says.
strength beer.
Concern got behind it, but in the form of
“Occasions like Dry July provide
Dry January,” West says.
consumers with a great platform to see just
“Tournée Minérale in Belgium has been
how great non-alcoholic beers like XXXX
going since 2017. They chose February as the
30 | National Liquor News
“This seems to kick-start the upward trajectory leading into the warmer and typically more social or celebratory time of year where non-alcoholic continues to play a key role.”
