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Heavy drinkers usually tend to purchase alcohol-free and low-alcohol drinks, a brand new report from the College of Sheffield has revealed.
The gross sales worth of so-called no/lo drinks soared to £362 million in 2023, greater than doubling since 2020. Nonetheless, the brand new report from the Sheffield Addictions Analysis Group (SARG) raises vital questions on whether or not the trade’s development helps to enhance public well being.
The analysis discovered that whereas one-third of U.Ok. adults have drunk a no/lo drink within the final 12 months, those that drink at dangerous ranges usually tend to be common shoppers of those alternate options than lighter drinkers or non-drinkers.
The no/lo market has expanded dramatically, with gross sales quantity rising by 66% and gross sales worth greater than doubling since 2020. This development is pushed by main alcohol manufacturers, which account for 84% of gross sales for the highest 100 no/lo merchandise.
A notable discovering of the report is a fancy pricing image. Whereas folks on common pay much less for his or her no/lo wine, spirits, and ready-to-drink drinks in retailers than for his or her alcoholic counterparts, they nonetheless pay extra for no/lo beer and cider. There are considerations this pricing disparity might undermine the potential public well being advantages.
Professor John Holmes, director of the Sheffield Addictions Analysis Group and report creator, mentioned, “It is encouraging to see that individuals consuming at dangerous ranges are attempting no/lo drinks, and that some no/lo choices like wine and spirits are actually extra inexpensive.
“However, the fact that no/lo beer and cider remain more expensive is a concern. Since alcohol causes the most harm among more deprived groups, any affordability barriers could limit the potential public health benefits of these products.”
Professor Adam Briggs, program director for the NIHR Public Well being Analysis (PHR) Program, mentioned, “The research group’s findings assist construct a a lot clearer image of the present no/lo alcohol market and shopper behaviors.
“Deaths from alcohol in England are continuing to rise and understanding how the no/lo alcohol market is changing over time is crucial to developing effective public health policy on alcohol and delivering the government’s shift from sickness to prevention.”
The report, titled: “Alcohol-free and low-alcohol drinks in Great Britain: Monitoring report on 2023 data,” additionally used family buying information for the primary time, revealing that 96% of households that purchase no/lo drinks additionally purchase alcoholic ones. It additionally confirmed the supply of no/lo beers in pubs, bars and eating places has elevated, with 74% of retailers promoting it in 2023.
The research is the second monitoring report into no/lo alcohol from the College of Sheffield and goals to assist authorities and well being organizations higher perceive the position that these merchandise might play in public well being insurance policies.
Extra data:
Alcohol-free and low-alcohol drinks in Nice Britain: Monitoring report on 2023 information. sarg-sheffield.ac.uk/initiatives/no-lo-project/
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College of Sheffield
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Heavy drinkers drive surge in no/lo alcohol market (2025, September 24)
retrieved 24 September 2025
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