Industry data highlighted how the category has established itself. According to the British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA) 2025 was a record year for the low and no beer market with 200m pints sold, accounting for almost 3% of the UK’s total beer market.
The trade body attributed this growth to the on-trade’s ability to respond to changing consumer preferences, and producing more no and low options than ever before - an evolution it said also supports public health goals.
This momentum extends outside of beer. As of last year, global market intelligence and research agency Mintel estimated the market value of the entire low and no-alcohol drinks was £413m.
In its UK Attitudes towards Low- and -No Alcohol Drinks Consumer Report 2025, it predicted continued pressure on household incomes in 2025 would continue to encourage alcohol moderation however, warned a price barrier for these versions limits consumers’ ability to benefit from this.
Acceleration signs
Looking back, signs of acceleration were there in the summer of 2024. June saw low and no beer named the fastest growing beer category in the UK by the BBPA with growth of almost a third (23%). This followed research from January 2024, which showed 87% of pubs served at least one low or no-alcohol beer and of these, 8% served a draught option in addition, compared to 2% at the end of 2019.
At the time, the trade body cited data from beverage alcohol data and insights firm ISWR, which found no and low alcohol commanded a volume share of almost 3% of the UK’s total beverage alcohol market.
Furthermore, IWSR also stated low-alcohol volume sales almost doubled in 2023 and forecast considerable growth in the following years, particularly driven by low-alcohol beer.
More recent research suggested moderation is translating into tangible behaviour change.
Earlier this year (January 2026), a YouGov study found more than one fifth (24%) of alcohol drinkers who have tried low and no-alcohol alternatives said these products had reduced their alcohol consumption.
Widening demographic
The survey, which was the Portman Group’s eighth annual survey on low and no-alcohol in partnership with YouGov, showed 86% of UK adults either abstain from alcohol or drink up to 14 units a week, with a significant portion of the population embracing low and no alternatives.
According to these figures, among UK adults who drink alcohol, more than one third (36%) consume low and no-alcohol products either regularly or occasionally.
While the younger age bracket of consumers continue to drive adoption, the audience has broadened, the research found.
Alcohol alternatives continue to be more popular with younger adults with over four in 10 (43%) of 18 to 24-year-olds and 40% of 35 to 4 -year-olds consuming them semi-regularly.
However, there was also an upward trend in those aged 55+ with 35% also drinking alcohol alternatives semi-regularly - this was up from 25% in 2022.
This study found the top reason for those choosing low and no products (35%) was driving home safely from social events followed by taking part in social activities without drinking excessively (24%).
Overall, data points to lasting shifts in consumer behaviour driving growth. While low and no-alcohol choices have been normalised in recent years, pricing and value will be key in determining how far growth can extend in the future.
