2024
9
UK Attitudes towards Low- and No-Alcohol Drinks Consumer Report 2024
2024-08-15T11:01:44+01:00
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The rising cost of living has boosted alcohol moderation in recent years, supporting sales of low-/no-alcohol versions. However, their relatively high price is a barrier to usage of low/no-alcohol drinks,…
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  6. UK Attitudes towards Low- and No-Alcohol Drinks Consumer Report 2024

UK Attitudes towards Low- and No-Alcohol Drinks Consumer Report 2024

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This report offers a complete analysis of UK Consumer Attitudes towards Low and Non-Alcoholic Drinks, alongside a five year market outlook and the best recent launch activity and innovation. 

Key Insights Covered in this Report:

  • The impact of the cost-of-living crisis on value and volume sales of low- and no-alcohol drinks.
  • Trends in launch activity in low- and no-alcohol drinks, and opportunities for further innovation.
  • Levels of alcohol moderation and avoidance.
  • Demographic patterns in usage of low- and no-alcohol drinks.
  • Leading usage occasions for low- and no-alcohol drinks, including at home and in the on-trade.
  • Barriers to drinking low-/no-alcohol drinks, including concerns over price and sugar content.

Low-Alcohol and Non-alcoholic Drinks Market Landscape

The rising cost of living has boosted alcohol moderation in recent years, supporting sales of low-/no-alcohol versions. However, their relatively high price is a barrier to usage of low/no-alcohol drinks, seeing many people favour soft drinks as alternatives to alcohol. Higher usage of low-/no-alcohol drinks among the financially better-off suggests that these drinks should benefit as real income growth picks up momentum.

  • UK non-alcoholic drinks market size: Retail value and volume sales of low- and no-alcohol drinks more than doubled over 2019-24. Mintel estimates the UK low- and no-alcohol market size is £380 million in 2024.

Low- and No-alcohol Drinks – UK Consumer Trends

Concerns about sugar are a major barrier to greater take-up of low-/no-alcohol drinks, impeding their ability to appeal as a healthier alternative to their alcohol-containing counterparts. Raising awareness that lower alcohol content does not necessarily mean higher sugar, including sugar-related on-pack nutritional claims where relevant, should help companies to reassure consumers on this front and to drive sales.

Forging associations with relaxation will bolster the appeal of low-/no-alcohol brands, as concerns over alcohol’s negative effects on emotional wellbeing and sleep patterns are among key motivations for drinking low-/no-alcohol variants.

  • Non-alcoholic drinks consumer behaviour: Concerns about alcohol affecting emotional wellbeing prompt usage of low-/no-alcohol drinks among 55% of UK drinkers.

Purchase the full report for a consumer-led analysis of the UK non-alcoholic drinks market, including full market dynamics and the latest innovation and marketing trends. Readers of this report may also be interested in Mintel’s UK Brand Overview: Drinks Market Report.

More About This Report

This report examines consumer usage of and attitudes towards low-/no-alcohol drinks. In the consumer research, this was defined to survey respondents as: “drinks designed as an alternative to standard alcoholic drinks. This includes lower- and non-alcoholic/alcohol-free beer, cider, wine and pre-mixed drinks as well as soft drinks designed specifically as an alternative to alcoholic drinks (eg Seedlip non-alcoholic spirit).”

Retail sales data is provided in the Market Size and Segmentation sections for the following segments:

  • Low-/no-alcohol beer with an ABV of up to 1.2%
  • No- and lower-alcohol wine with an ABV of less than 1%
  • No-alcohol spirits alternatives
  • Low-/no-alcohol cider with an ABV of up to 1%
  • Low-/no-alcohol RTDs with an ABV of up to 1%

Meet The Expert

This report was written by Alice Baker, Food and Drink Analyst at Mintel. Alice analyses and writes on the UK Food & Drink sector, having joined Mintel in January 2016. She has previously worked for the International Meat Trade Association and in local government. She holds a BA in History and an MA in History of Political Thought from University College London.

Consumers’ desire to support their emotional wellbeing underpins the usage of low-/no-alcohol drinks, however concerns over price and sugar content pose barriers.

Alice BakerAlice Baker
Food and Drink Analyst

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  1. Executive Summary

    • Opportunities for low- and no-alcohol drinks
    • Focus on at-home occasions to drive purchase as consumers’ financial recovery remains slow
    • Addressing low-/no-alcohol drinks’ poor value image is crucial to boosting take-up
    • Align with emotional wellbeing to drive purchase
    • Market dynamics and outlook
    • Market size & forecast
    • Market predictions
    • All low-/no-alcohol segments grow value and volume sales in 2024
    • Graph 1: retail value sales of low- and no-alcohol drinks, by segment, 2022-24
    • Guinness and other leading beer brands’ low-/no-alcohol variants grow sales, but face increased competition from own-label
    • Graph 2: leading low-/no-alcohol beer brands’ retail sales, by value, 2021/22-23/24
    • Low-/no-alcohol versions gain as prices for standard alcoholic drinks rise in 2023-24
    • Increased government and consumer focus on health provides opportunities for low-/no-alcohol
    • What consumers want and why
    • Alcohol moderation and avoidance is widespread, led by younger adults
    • Graph 3: alcohol reduction and non-usage*, 2022-24
    • Usage of low-/no-alcohol drinks is up compared with 2023; under-35s and the financially better-off are the core users
    • Graph 4: usage of standard, low-/lower-alcohol and non-alcoholic/alcohol-free drinks, 2022-24
    • At-home occasions lead for low-/no-alcohol drinks
    • Graph 5: usage occasions for low- and no-alcohol drinks, 2024
    • Concerns about emotional wellbeing drive usage of low-/no-alcohol drinks; price and sugar are deterrents
    • Graph 6: behaviours relating to low- and no-alcohol drinks, 2024
    • Innovation and marketing
    • Brand extensions continue in 2023-24; seasonal and own-label launches dial up the treat aspects
    • Advertising spend on low-/no-alcohol drinks rises in 2023
    • Graph 7: above-the-line, online display and direct mail advertising expenditure on low-/no-alcohol drinks, by leading advertisers, 2021-24
  2. Market Dynamics

    • Market size
    • Value and volume sales of low- and no-alcohol drinks soar over 2019-24
    • Graph 8: retail value sales of low- and no-alcohol drinks, 2019-24
    • Market forecast
    • Continuing, though slowing, inflation to power value growth over 2024-29
    • Recovering income growth and consumers’ renewed health focus to boost volume sales
    • Further strong growth in value and volume sales expected for 2024-29
    • Market segmentation
    • All segments of the low-/no-alcohol category see rapid value and volume sales growth in 2024
    • Graph 9: retail value sales of low- and no-alcohol drinks, by segment, 2022-24
    • Market share
    • Guinness 0.0 continues to lead the low-/no-alcohol beer retail market in 2023/24
    • Graph 10: retail value sales of low- and no-alcohol beer, by top five brands and own-label, 2021/22-23/24
    • Leading beer brands gain retail volume sales in 2023-24, but face increased competition from own-label
    • Graph 11: retail value and volume sales growth/decline for the top five low-/no-alcohol beer brands and own-label, 2023/24*
    • Raised public profile boosts Lucky Saint
    • Retail value sales growth outpaces volume growth for leading low-/no-alcohol wine brands in 2023/24
    • Graph 12: retail value sales of low- and no-alcohol wine, by top five brands and own-label, 2021/22-23/24
    • Macro-economic factors
    • Economic output has stagnated since the cost of living crisis began
    • Graph 13: GDP, 2021-23
    • Falling inflation has reduced pressure on household finances
    • Graph 14: CPI inflation rate, 2021-24
    • Interest rates expected to fall in 2024, but borrowing pressures will remain
    • Food and drink prices still top the list of consumer concerns
    • Graph 15: cost of living related issues noticed in the last two months, 2024
    • Consumer sentiment: wellbeing is up but the recovery has slowed
    • Graph 16: the financial wellbeing index, 2016-24
    • Consumer confidence continues to trend upwards
    • Graph 17: the financial confidence index, 2016-24
    • Consumers’ financial health and confidence are key for sales of low-/no-alcohol drinks
    • Alcohol inflation overtakes overall inflation in 2023
    • Graph 18: RPI inflation in beer, wine and spirits and all-items, 2020-24
    • Social, environmental and legal factors
    • Changes to alcohol duties raise duty on higher-strength products, pushing up prices within the category
    • Avoiding steeper price rises benefits low-/no-alcohol drinks through consumer switching
    • Alcohol-specific deaths rise across most of the UK
    • Graph 19: age-standardised alcohol-specific death rates per 100,000, by nation, 2018-22
    • Consumers’ increased commitment to healthy eating will boost alcohol moderation
    • Graph 20: how often people try to eat heathily, 2022-24
    • Government considers change to alcohol labelling rules
  3. What Consumers Want and Why

    • Alcohol usage and reduction
    • Six in ten either limit or do not drink alcohol
    • Graph 21: alcohol reduction and non-usage*, 2022-24
    • Under-35s are the most likely to have cut back on alcohol
    • Graph 22: alcohol reduction and non-usage, by age group, 2024
    • Financial situation influences alcohol avoidance, but not recent moderation
    • Graph 23: alcohol reduction and non-usage, by how people describe their household finances, 2024
    • Usage of low-/lower-alcohol and no-alcohol drinks
    • Low-/no-alcohol drinks have become increasingly mainstream
    • Usage of low-/no-alcohol drinks is on the rise
    • Graph 24: usage of standard, low-/lower- alcohol and non-alcoholic/alcohol-free drinks, 2022-24
    • Alcohol moderation supports usage of low-/no-alcohol drinks
    • Graph 25: usage of low-/lower- alcohol and non-alcoholic/alcohol-free drinks, by alcohol moderation in the last 12 months, 2024
    • Under-35s are the core users of low-/no-alcohol drinks
    • Graph 26: usage of standard, low-/lower- alcohol and non-alcoholic/alcohol-free drinks, by age group, 2024
    • Usage of low-/no-alcohol drinks is higher among the financially better-off
    • Graph 27: usage of standard, low-/lower- alcohol and non-alcoholic/alcohol-free drinks, by how people describe their household finances, 2024
    • Beer and RTDs have the highest usage of low-/no-alcohol versions compared with standard
    • Graph 28: usage of standard, low-/lower- alcohol and non-alcoholic/alcohol-free drinks, by category, 2024
    • Usage occasions for low- and no-alcohol drinks
    • At home usage leads for low-/no-alcohol drinks
    • Graph 29: usage occasions for low- and no-alcohol drinks, 2024
    • Marketing focus on at-home occasions remains relevant in 2024 amid subdued real income growth
    • Focus on at-home occasions remains relevant in 2024
    • Use in-store displays to prompt purchase for midweek occasions
    • Link up with broadcast and streaming media to drive associations with evenings in
    • Feature no-alcohol variants in promotions linked with international sports
    • Use prompts at POS and dine-in deals to drive usage as a meal accompaniment
    • Drive usage of low-/no-alcohol drinks with meals in the on-trade, as well as at retail
    • Behaviours relating to low- and no-alcohol drinks
    • Concerns about alcohol affecting emotional wellbeing prompt usage of low-/no-alcohol drinks among 55% of drinkers
    • Graph 30: behaviours relating to low- and no-alcohol drinks, 2024
    • Build associations with emotional wellbeing to drive purchase
    • Concerns over alcohol’s effects on emotional wellbeing and sleep underpin usage of low-/no-alcohol drinks
    • Further explore ingredients with relaxing associations
    • Align with hobbies favoured by those seeking to relax
    • Graph 31: participation in hobbies/interests in the last 12 months, by those who take part in their hobbies/interests to manage stress, 2022
    • Strengthen low-/no-alcohol drinks’ value image to boost take-up
    • Price is a barrier for low-/no-alcohol drinks usage, even for those with ‘healthy’ finances
    • Graph 32: those saying that the price of low-/no-alcohol drinks puts them off drinking them/drinking them more often, by how people describe their household finances, 2024
    • Offer smaller formats to drive trial of low-/no-alcohol drinks
    • Offer shared discounts to harness the power of recommendations
    • ‘Recommend a friend’ schemes can bring significant sales
    • Concerns over sugar are a deterrent for low-/no-alcohol drinks
    • Low-/no-alcohol drinks highlight their lower sugar
  4. Innovation And Marketing Trends

    • Launch activity and innovation
    • Leading brands add no-alcohol versions
    • Beer brands continue to outline their dealcoholization methods
    • Companies expand the range of varieties available in low-/no-alcohol
    • Brands from other categories extend into alcohol alternatives
    • Own-label no-/low-alcohol launches in 2023-24 emphasize their high quality and complex flavour profiles
    • Collider adds adaptogenic beer
    • Hazy beers trend extends into low-/no-alcohol
    • More low-/no-alcohol beers appear in the on-trade
    • Low-/no-alcohol brands look to expand their range of usage occasions through seasonal launches
    • Advertising and marketing activity
    • Advertising spend on low-/no–alcohol drinks rises sharply in 2023
    • Graph 33: total above-the-line, online display and direct mail advertising on low-/no-alcohol drinks, by top three advertisers, 2021-24
    • Diageo continues to lead on low-/no-alcohol advertising in 2023-24
    • Diageo showcases its no-alcohol spirits alternatives for Dry January 2024
    • Seedlip continues its focus on travel into 2024
    • San Miguel aligns its alcohol-free variant with its wider focus on exploration and adventure
    • Peroni recruits F1 drivers for ‘bank heist’ film parody
    • Leading alcohol companies encourage mindful drinking
    • Lucky Saint makes another big push for Dry January 2024
    • Days Brewing raises its profile through TikTok videos…
    • Graph 34: usage of Tik-Tok in the last three months, by age group, 2024
    • …and criticises other brands’ marketing approaches
    • CleanCo raises its profile through OOH and experiential campaigns
  5. Appendix

    • Supplementary data
    • Market segmentation
    • Market share – beer – value sales
    • Market share – beer – volume sales
    • Market share – wine – value sales
    • Market share – wine – volume sales
    • Market share – cider
    • Market share – spirit alternatives
    • Market share – RTDs
    • Market forecast data and methodology
    • Market forecast and prediction intervals – values
    • Market forecast and prediction intervals – volumes
    • Forecast methodology
    • Report scope and definitions
    • Market definition
    • Abbreviations and terms
    • Methodology
    • Consumer research methodology
    • Nielsen Ad Intel coverage

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