Are low alcohol beers changing the character of pubs as we know them, and what does it mean for the future of cask ale?

A YouGov survey shows a rise in popularity of low and no alcohol products, with young adults now the biggest consumers.

The Portman Group’s sixth annual survey in partnership with YouGov shows that young people are the biggest consumers of low and no alcohol alternatives, with nearly half (44 per cent) of 18-24 year olds surveyed considering themselves either an occasional or regular drinker of alcohol alternatives, compared to 31 per cent in 2022.

Trends also show that the younger generation are now the most sober age group overall, with 39 per cent of 18-24 year olds not drinking alcohol at all.

The results show how these products have contributed to increasing moderation among UK drinkers – with a rise in respondents who have seen their alcohol consumption decrease as a result of low and no alcohol products (23 per cent compared to 21 per cent in 2022) and more than a third (35 per cent) of those surveyed now consider themselves an occasional or regular drinker of alcohol alternatives – a significant increase from 2022 (29 per cent).

The research continues to tell a positive story of how low and no products have become an important and normal part of how the UK public moderate their drinking and tackle potential harm – with three quarters (75 per cent) of UK drinkers having at least tried a low and no alcohol alternative, compared to a third (33 per cent) of non-drinkers.

Portman Group chief executive Matt Lambert said: “It is welcome to see a further rise in the popularity of low and no alcohol alternatives as well as further evidence of how they are an important tool to help UK drinkers, particularly younger adults, to drink responsibly.

“The availability of alcohol alternatives has never been more abundant, and we eagerly await the outcome of the recent UK government consultation on low alcohol descriptors, which we hope will further facilitate the growth of the UK low and no alcohol market.”

Adnams has unveiled the UK’s best-selling low alcohol ale Ghost Ship 0.5 per cent in a new slender, 330ml canned format to meet growing demand (pictured).

New research from Alcohol Change UK, the charity behind Dry January, has revealed that among UK adults (excluding non-drinkers), 30 per cent of men and 26 per cent of women would like to reduce the amount of alcohol they drink in 2024. The new figures come as one in six UK adults (16 per cent) plan to take a break from alcohol this January.

Adnams head of production Fergus Fitzgerald said: “It seemed like a big leap in 2018 to invest in the technology to be able to brew a 0.5 per cent version of our best-selling beer, but we wanted to make sure we captured the flavours as closely as we could. It was clearly the right thing to do as Ghost Ship 0.5 per cent is now our second-best selling beer and is still growing.

“When we first started selling Ghost Ship 0.5 per cent it was really customers of Ghost Ship 4.5 per cent that bought the beer, but that seems to have changed, and it’s now attracting customers who don’t really know the original beer it was based on, and I think the new can format will help it broaden its appeal even further.”