Soaring UK demand for no and low alcohol beer is now so strong that it is growing faster than any other beer type including super trendy craft varieties.
At Tesco demand for no and low beer has rocketed by nearly 40% in the last two years helped by the introduction of dedicated brands such as Lucky Saint, Athletic Brewing and Days 0%.
Notably, it’s not just the annual Dry January campaign that is inspiring healthier drinking, with Tesco recording its highest ever Christmas week demand for no and low beer as sales soared by 43% on the previous year.
The supermarket also reports a new shopping pattern emerging with no and low beer drinkers switching to buying larger pack sizes rather than single cans or bottles, as a result of more confidence in the quality now available.
Tesco's No and Low Beer buyer Sam Harrop said, “Interest in no and low alcohol beer is so strong that dedicated brewers have emerged in recent years which has resulted in more choice for shoppers.
“This has led to great improvements in quality with these specialist brewers inspiring far better ingredients and processes in order to create full-bodied no and low beers that taste authentic.
“The success of this market has shown us that growing numbers of drinkers seeking healthier brews are prepared to buy no and low alcohol beers as long as the quality is good.”
The Tesco sales data backs up findings in a 2022 No and Low Insight Report compiled by retail consumer research experts KAM in collaboration with category leader Lucky Saint.
The report found that:
> 55% of UK adults are planning on moderating their alcohol intake in 2023
> Awareness of the alcohol-free category is at an all-time high, with beer leading the way - up from 86% in 2020 to 95% in 2022
> One in three pub visits are now alcohol-free
> Consumption of alcohol-free is being driven by ‘at-home’ occasions, with 37% of UK adults drinking alcohol-free at home once a week or more
> 54% of consumers said they go to supermarkets to discover healthier new alcohol-free options
Lucky Saint is one of the newer UK alcohol-free brands which has been instrumental in taking the category to the next level. The brand says it is on a mission to elevate the drinking experience for alcohol-free drinkers, firstly with its lager, and now with the launch of their London pub, The Lucky Saint, championing alcohol-free drinks alongside alcoholic options.
Lucky Saint founder Luke Boase said, “Wanting to moderate your alcohol consumption has been a growing trend over the last five years, and 2023 is set to become the year that moderation goes mainstream with over 50 per cent of UK adults planning to cut down their consumption.
“Dry January was particularly exciting this year, with over nine million people taking part - it's a time when our category jumps forward, and the growth is sustained with millions of people continuing to drink No and Low throughout the year.
“Like us, Tesco is betting big on the No and Low category and it shares our view of what consumers are looking for - healthier options and great-tasting alcohol-free drinks that make moderating alcohol consumption easier, which is a great thing.”