Could no and low-alcohol beer save the British pub?
Soaring costs and customers watching their spending is putting the hospitality industry under intense pressure, but for the traditional British pub there could be an unlikely saviour.
A record 140 million pints of no or low-alcohol beer are expected to be sold this year, up 12% on 2023, with 86% of hostelries now selling the non-intoxicating brews.
It reflects a steady rise in the popularity of non-alcoholic drinks – 8% of pubs that serve the alternative beer now sell it on draught, up from just 2% in 2019.
The increasing range of options for drinkers means the pub is “even more inclusive and welcoming than ever before this festive season”, the British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) said.
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It follows a survey at the start of the year which found almost half of Britain’s youngest drinkers were turning down booze for low or no-alcohol alternatives.
The study, for industry body the Portman Group and carried out by YouGov, found 44% of 18 to 24-year-olds considered themselves to be either occasional or regular drinkers of alcohol alternatives, up from 31% in 2022.
BBPA is calling on the government to align existing no and low thresholds with that of other countries, to help drive sales and boost the economy.
In the UK, the existing threshold for “alcohol free” is 0.05% ABV (alcohol by volume), when it can be 0.5% ABV in other nations.
Aligning the thresholds would provide a level of fairness for UK brewers, the trade association said.
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BBPA chief executive Emma McClarkin said: “Whether someone is choosing moderation, keeping pace with many Christmas festivities, or just doesn’t drink alcohol, these sales show brewers and pubs are catering to all.
“With the popularity of no and low increasing, we stand ready to support the government in taking the necessary steps to align our no and low-alcohol descriptors with other markets.
“This important move would allow the category to continue to flourish, benefit the consumer, and allow the pub to continue being a home away from home.”