Alcohol free beer sales up by 32% in first three months of 2025

• Sales of low and no alcohol beers and ciders have increased by 32% in Q1, compared to the same period in 2024 – with over 270,000 sold across Stonegate’s 4,500 pubs and bars

• London sees most demand for alcohol free beers and ciders, accounting for over a quarter of sales across the UK this year – with 25–34-year-olds driving most demand

• Low alcohol beer and cider sales typically peak late afternoon and early evening, with a quarter of all sales occurring between 5-7pm

• Guinness 0% tops the list of best performing low alcohol beers, followed by Heineken 0.0%, Old Mout Berries 0%, Peroni Nastro and Days Lager 0%

• The research follows Heineken recently marking its 1,000th 0.0% tap in the UK

New analysis of sales data from Stonegate Group, the UK’s biggest pub company, has revealed an increase in demand for low and no alcohol beers and ciders with sales up by 32% in the first quarter of 2025, compared to the same period last year.  In total 271,000 low and alcohol-free beers and ciders have been sold across Stonegate’s pub and bar estate in the first few months in 2025 alone.

Furthermore, data from Stonegate’s MiXR app has revealed that low and no alcohol drinks are in most demand from 25-34 year olds – accounting for 21% of sales, compared to 12% of total draught. By comparison, young adults aged 18-24 only account for 14% of low and no alcohol beer sales, yet account for 24% of total draught beer sales. Stonegate’s research has also found that demand for low and no alcohol sales peaks on Saturdays, with nearly a quarter of sales taking place in late afternoon and early evening, between 5pm and 7pm.

Source: Stonegate MiXR

Guinness 0% tops the list of best performing low alcohol beers, closely followed by Heineken 0.0%. Heineken recently marked its 1,000th 0.0% tap in the UK, with the historic 1,000th tap installed Stonegate’s Clerk & Well Pub in London, which was unveiled by Welsh footballing legend and Heineken’s 0.0 ambassador Gareth Bale.

Across the regions, London accounts for the largest proportion of low and no alcohol sales at 27% – compared to 20% of total draught beer sales.

Regional sales

Recognising the importance of further enhancing its ‘low and no’ range, Stonegate Group entered an innovative partnership with Days Brewery in 2024, helping a young independent business scale quickly and sustainably in the hospitality industry. Days Lager, made in Scotland with locally sourced ingredients, is now available in most of Stonegate’s Managed and Craft Union venues nationwide.

David McDowall, CEO at Stonegate Group, said: “There has clearly been a growing demand from our guests for low and no alcohol options in recent years, but what we are seeing now is the evolution of the trend into a fundamental shift in drinking habits, which is here to stay. For some time, we’ve seen our guests going out earlier and demanding more from their experiences and nights out, but the depth of our data shows low and alcohol-free drinks are growing in popularity up and down the country.  

“Our mission is bringing people together through our passion for great pubs, bars and venues and we are proud to be an inclusive pub group that champions choice. We recognise that our guests are increasingly looking for low and no alcohol beers that don’t compromise on taste, so its hugely important for us to have a quality range of beers available – with an ever-growing number of 0% beers on tap. Fundamentally it’s all about choice and showing that even as guest trends and habits change, the great British pub is still the place for people to come together, as we have done in the UK for centuries.”