It’s summer, the World Cup is on, and there’s a heatwave on the way. But for increasing numbers of people, from pregnant women to abstemious millennials to health-conscious weight-watchers, that does not mean drinking to excess. And, with drinking rates among UK adults at their lowest since 2005, companies are falling over themselves to unveil their new non-alcoholic and low-alcohol drinks.
“Low- and no-alcohol drinks represent a relatively small part of the entire market, but demand is increasing every year,” said Miles Beale, chief executive of the Wine and Spirit Trade Association. “The low-alcohol wine category has increased 10 times since 2009 to around 3% of the market – that’s more than 37 million bottles, worth over £70m. Producers are responding to consumer demand for products that fit changing lifestyle habits – we know that overall alcohol consumption is decreasing, particularly among young people – with innovative new products that are lower in alcohol.”
Last week drinks giant Diageo launched the UK’s first ever “branded” ready-mixed gin and tonic, made with Gordon’s gin but less than 0.5% alcohol, to tap into burgeoning demand for an “adult” drink that is low in alcohol. A 250ml glass contains just a fifth of a unit of alcohol. In the middle of a controversial government review of how low- and no-alcohol drinks should be labelled, it is also the first in its portfolio to be described as “ultra-low alcohol”.
Staff at Diageo’s research laboratory in Essex spent two years developing the drink after research suggested there was not enough choice for drinkers seeking to reduce their alcoholic intake, and that soft drink alternatives were too sweet and sickly.
Drinking rates among British adults have plunged to their lowest in 18 years. A recent Office for National Statistics survey found the proportion who drank alcohol at least once a week declined from 64.2% to 56.9% last year. The trend is particularly prevalent among young people: more than a quarter of 16-to-24-year-olds do not drink. And the latest findings from Mintel’s Alcoholic Drinks Review show that 27% of Britons say they are drinking more low- or no-alcohol drinks compared to a few years ago. This rises to 42% of consumers aged 18-24 and 45% of consumers aged 25-34. A sizeable 61% of Britons believe getting drunk is “uncool”, declining to 41% of 18-24s and 47% of those aged 25-34.
Supermarkets report rising sales. Asda wine buyer April Rogers said: “The low- and no-alcohol market continues to grow, with everything from sparkling, red and white wines, [to] beer increasing in popularity.”
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