June and July have become two of the most popular months for No and Low beer sales, new British Beer and Pub Association figures show.
In 2024, the equivalent of 27 million pints of No and Low beer were sold, up from 23 million in the same period in 2023, and 20 million in 2022. This equates to a 35% rise in just two years.
This summer is predicted to be a record, with June and July sales of No and Low beer estimated to increase by 20% to the equivalent of 33 million pints.
The BBPA said the boom has been made possible by the sector adapting to trends and producing more No and Low options than ever before, which helps public health goals.
Despite this, the BBPA said that the current UK definition of low alcoholic beer is “severely limited” by the UK’s restrictive definition.
Currently, an ‘alcohol free’ beer must be below 0.05% ABV, which limits what British brewers can make. This is in contrast to many other countries, who define alcohol free as a marginally higher 0.5% ABV.
The organisation said that if UK Government were to match the thresholds, UK brewers will be able to invest in more No and Low beers, which will give consumers extra options if they wish to moderate and boost economic growth.
Emma McClarkin, CEO of the British Beer and Pub Association, said:
“Few things beat a crisp pint in a sunny pub garden and, as ever, the sector has been working hard to make sure there’s a choice for everyone.
“No and Low popularity is booming, and brewers and pubs have responded to this by creating and serving up great new options which help people choose moderation, if they wish.
“Government has heard our calls and taken a progressive approach by consulting on no-alcohol alcohol descriptions.
“Changing the no alcohol definition to 0.5% will open the door to greater investment, means we are on par with international markets, and more options for people who choose to moderate – everyone wins.”
The leading trade body found that No and Low alcohol beer is the sector’s biggest growth category across the UK, with volume growth of 750% since 2013.
