A combination of people wanting to tone down their booze consumption and the hot weather is set to result in this summer being a record for no and low alcohol beer
Health conscious Brits are expected to consume more than 64 million pints of “no and low” beers this summer.
A growing number of people are opting to tone down how much alcohol they have, with some ditching it altogether. Trade body British Beer and Pub Association says around 200 million pints of no and low alcohol beers were sold in 2025, – a record figure.
But that could be beaten this year given it is expecting more than 64 million to be drunk in just June, July and August, and eight million more than last summer. The summer surge is expected to be have been further fuelled by the late kick-off times for England’s World Cup matches, as well as three heatwaves which has seen people look for ways to cool down.
Demand for “no and low” beer had rocketed 870% since 2013, although still only accounts for accounts for around 3% of the wider market. The industry is now calling on the government to change the definition for what can be classed as “alcohol free”.
For beers, it be must be below 0.05% ABV (alcohol by volume), but the BBPA says in many other countries it is set at a much higher 0.5%. Duty is only paid once the ABV on a drink reaches 1.2%. Insiders say upping the threshold would allow brewers to advertise their products as alcohol free which, they argue, would further boost sales as well as ranges.
Among the best selling alcohol free beers in Britain are Guinness 0.0, Heineken 0.0, Peroni Nastro Azzurro 0.0, Corona Cero, Beck’s Blue, and Lucky Saint. Emma McClarkin, BBPA chief executive, said: “No and low popularity is booming and the category’s year-on-year success shows that it’s a category that’s here to stay.
“Brewers and pubs across the country are already responding to this by serving up great new options which help people choose moderation, if they wish. We need government to keep the momentum going by changing the alcohol-free definition to 0.5%.
“This will open the door to greater investment, keep us on par with international markets, and deliver even more options for people who choose to moderate – everyone wins.”
James Rabagliati, head brewer at Nirvana Brewery, which describes itself as the UK’s first dedicated alcohol free brewery, said: “Like any brewery, summer is peak-time for sales and the heatwave has had a very positive impact on ours – especially as some people are moderating their alcohol intake in higher temperatures.
“We’ve seen people either exclusively drinking alcohol-free beer such as our pils and fruit lagers, or ‘Zebra-striping’ where they’re alternating between us and alcoholic beers.”
Luke Boase, founder of Lucky Saint, said: “Summer sees demand for alcohol-free surge, as people spend longer socialising and enjoying the sun in pub gardens and parks, or watching the sport.
“When the sun is out and the football is on, people want to make the most of it and alcohol-free beer matches the occasion. We’ve seen a spike in sales of Lucky Saint, and it’s a reflection of how alcohol-free beer has become part of the way people drink today.”
