Heineken launches new non-alcoholic beer

13-Mar-2017 - Last updated on 13-Mar-2017 at 15:44 GMT

Heineken 0.0: initial feedback on non-alcoholic brew 'overwhelmingly positive'

Related tags Ab inbev Beer

Heineken is launching a new, non-alcoholic version of its flagship lager, The Morning Advertiser can reveal.

Heineken 0.0 will be available in 330ml bottles across the on-trade from this month onwards, accompanied by a £2.5m marketing push. Each bottle contains 69 calories.

Heineken premium brands director David Lette said: “Initial feedback from both consumers and customers has been overwhelmingly positive, with a strong preference shown towards Heineken 0.0 versus other alcohol-free beers."

Drive frequency with drinkers

“With a high purchase intent, Heineken 0.0 will not only drive frequency with current beer drinkers, but also bring new drinkers to the category by attracting health-conscious younger consumers who are drinking less or abstaining altogether, by delivering a great tasting beer from a brand that they’re proud to be seen with,” he added.

This makes Heineken the latest brewer to stake a claim on the burgeoning low and non-alcoholic beer market, after AB InBev announced last year it would expand its alcohol-free range and work to ensure 20% of its sales come from the category by 2020.

Lette cited research by the company that claimed only 47% of customers were currently satisfied with the range of low and non-alcoholic beers available.

Additionally, 50% of consumers were now actively moderating their alcohol intake, he said.

Growth in low-alcohol beers

In January, Scottish brewer Innis & Gunn launched Innis & None, a non-alcoholic pale ale designed to capitalise on an increasing number of customers giving up alcohol for 'Dry January'.

Brewing giant AB InBev has committed to making at least 20% of its beers 3.5% ABV or lower by 2025 as part of its Global Smart Drinking Goals.

During an exclusive interview on the eve of its acquisition of rival firm SABMiller, AB InBev’s Northern European boss Jason Warner told The Morning Advertiser: “It’s going to manifest itself with much more choice when it comes to non-alcoholic beer – remove the alcohol and you expand the occasions and opportunities.”