Research has found around a third of visits to the pub do not involve consuming alcohol, prompting operators to find alternative offerings.
Hospitality research company Kam in the UK reports in 2022 29 per cent of visits to pubs and 37 per cent of meals in restaurants are booze-free.
Kam says the move to no alcohol is being driven by younger generations.
It continues a trend in many western nations in recent years of a reduction in alcohol consumption, with health concerns cited as the predominant reason.
In 2019, Britain’s NHS statistics showed 60 per cent of adults consumed up to 14 units of alcohol per week.
Recent figures show this has shifted, with 55 per cent of UK drinkers now reporting they consume under ten units per week.
The popularity of alcohol-free options has driven significant market share in beer havens such as Germany and Spain, inspiring major brewers such as Heineken and Budweiser to launch non-alcoholic brews.
In May Lion launched the Zero non-alcoholic variant of its stalwart XXXX.
Operators benefit from ranging some non-alcoholic options beyond a soft drink or lemon, lime and bitters, to cater to patrons who aren’t drinking.
This is perhaps even more relevant in foodservice, given the even higher percentage of meals consumed without alcohol.
Kam MD Katy Moses reports the growth in popularity of alcohol-free isn’t being driven by people who don’t drink any alcohol, but by the increasing number simply wanting to moderate their intake by drinking an alternative that tastes good.
