“There have been significant advancements in the taste and quality of non-alcoholic beer, along with increased social acceptance,” she noted. A recent study found a rise of 61 million consumers of no-alcohol products compared to 38 million for low-alcohol beverages in 10 key countries between 2022 and 2024: Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Japan, Spain, South Africa, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
The predicted growth for no-alcohol sales is $4 billion by 2028, while low-alcohol volumes are expected to stay relatively stable. Addressing some challenges faced by low-alcohol drinks, Goldspink highlighted issues with understanding alcohol by volume (ABV) and the actual alcohol content in these beverages.
In contrast, she emphasized the transparency of no-alcohol products, stating that consumers can easily identify the alcohol content on the container and make informed choices based on their alcohol preferences. To clarify the differences between low-alcohol and no-alcohol options, experts recommend understanding the varying alcohol levels in these products.
Derek Brown, a mixologist and author, explained that low-alcohol beverages contain about half the alcohol content of traditional malt beverages, while no-alcohol drinks are defined as having 0.5% ABV. Brown emphasized the importance of reading labels to ascertain the alcohol content accurately.
Despite the increasing popularity of non-traditional drinks, which currently represent only about 3% of the overall beverage market, Goldspink highlighted a generational shift towards greater acceptance of low- and no-alcohol products. She observed a reduction in the stigma attached to these beverages, especially among younger consumers.
Brown acknowledged the past lackluster reputation of non-alcoholic cocktails but noted the contemporary resurgence of high-quality options crafted by skilled bartenders. He highlighted the exceptional beverages being created by renowned bartenders and establishments across the country.
An example of this quality improvement is the innovative approaches taken by some beverage manufacturers, such as Wilderton in Oregon, the first non-alcoholic distillery in the U.S. These advancements signify a positive shift towards more sophisticated and appealing non-alcoholic drink options in the market.
“That you would do with any really high-quality spirit,” he said. “And they built a distillery to do it. That’s not cheap.”
The high-quality low- and no-alcohol drinks that are being made these days bring a cost to the consumer.
“I think there was some resistance originally to pricing and the fact that it’s pretty much priced on a par with alcohol,” Goldspink said.
But the continued efforts to create appealing low- and no-alcohol cocktails, spirits, and malts should encourage any drinkers who are on the fence about whether these offerings are worth the price.
Many low- and no-alcohol drinks cost as much or more than their traditional alcohol-based beer, cocktails, and wines.
“People are price-conscious these days. I am, too. So, I understand that,” Brown said.
“But I do want people to know they are absolutely putting quality and effort into these. And, in some cases, they’re more expensive than alcohol. Is that a scam? That, I think, is up to the beholder.”
Brown argued that these low- and no-alcohol manufacturers “have to go the extra mile.”
“They have to do more than spirits and wines with alcohol,” he said.
Ultimately, Brown said, there is no threat to traditional alcohol, which he believes will continue to have a place on store shelves for years to come.
He sees low- and no-alcohol products as another option rather than a replacement for beer, liquor, and wine.
“There still are bad products out there, just like there are bad cocktails with alcohol sometimes,” Brown said.
“The fact is, just because you taste one thing and you don’t like it — you can’t throw away an entire category.”
For more Lifestyle articles, visit www.foxnews.com/lifestyle
Original article source: Amid cancer concerns, could more drinkers turn to no- and low-alcohol drinks?
