It is no surprise that consumers are looking for new ways to be healthier, especially now, since the Covid-19 pandemic. Consumers are willing to try new means of becoming healthier. They are looking for lifestyle improvements, increasing their exercise routines, breaking bad habits, and changing up their diets. Improving your diet and healthy regime, is not just about the food we eat. Yes, food is important but so are beverages.
Alcohol forms quite a large portion of the beverage’s adults drink on a regular basis, due to it’s popularity and enjoyment factors. However, with the increasing awareness around the importance of living a healthier more balanced lifestyle, many brands have jumped on this realisation. There is a surge in demand for healthier alcoholic or non-alcoholic beverages. With this in mind we can identify two types of consumers, those that want the taste and experience that alcohol provides without the extensive amount of sugar and calories. And those that want the taste but not the alcohol experience and risks.
With the huge shift in consumers perceptions about health, the No Low trend has become one of the hottest in the beverage category. Companies and brand owners have an important role to play in the future of no and low beverages, as the product variety increases so will the consumer’s support. According to the IWSR, the overall alcohol consumption rate is expected to decline in the next few years and the No Low alcohol market consumption rate is expected to grow 31% by 2024 (The Drinks Business, 2021).
Consumers want a beverage that satisfies their taste buds while appealing to their health and wellness. Whether the beverage has no alcohol or is low in alcohol, it has been created to benefit the consumer and open up a whole new industry. There are 3 areas to consider and take advantage of as the No Low appeal continues to grow:
Product Innovation
The No Low Industry is gaining attention from numerous beverages manufactures to produce new, unique, premium alternatives without compromising the brand’s authenticity and exclusivity. Innovation that is quality focused and using distinctive ingredients is what is needed to create an original and engaging beverage that will stand out from it’s competitors. Although this industry is growing fast there is still plenty of room for new product innovations.
Health Awareness
The younger generations of consumers have a huge awareness around health risks associated with excessive alcohol use and are highly conscious about their physical and mental health. Providing them with an alternative option is what is making this trend boom even more. In the past alcohol-free beverages had a stigma around it, as many found the products to be tasteless and bland. This is however no longer the case, with the popularity of the No and Low trend and the health perceptions, large brewers like Budweiser and Heineken have also jumped on the band wagon and created their own No and Low beers, providing consumers with ingredient dense, flavoursome beverages.
Product Package and Sustainability
Within the No and Low industry there is another trend which is common across many other industries too. This is the need for more sustainable manufacturing and packaging. Consumer’s don’t only care about their own wellbeing but also the wellbeing of the environment. Having a No and Low beverage that is catering to a consumers personal and external needs results in an industry winner. Although some beer brands would like to keep their traditional glass bottle, others have moved onto creatively labelled cans to align themselves better with a consumer who is looking for a healthier, sustainable alternative.
Exciting No Low Products That Suit All Taste buds
Brewdog have dialled down the Alcohol, not the beer so you get all the good honest full flavour beer and none of the alcohol.
Made with sophisticated flavours, Seedlip are premium non-alcoholic spirits. And the good thing is that there are calorie, sugar and sweetener free.
Woodstar is a wine alternative with a very low level of alcohol. It's a crafted blend of berries, botanicals and cocoa with 1% ABV.
Lindeman’s is an Australian wine producing company who supply wine all over the world. They are known for their variety and quality of wines. Their Early Harvest range includes products that are low in alcohol and calories, appealing to consumer’s who are health conscious and who are looking for an alcoholic beverage that provides them with the experience, all while keeping healthy.
Sheppy’s is a UK based cider manufacturer who have been creating the perfect cider’s for over 200 years. Sheppy’s Low Alcohol Classic Cider has been crafted to have the exact flavours as their traditional cider and is also displayed in a similar glass bottle.
Rude Mechanicals produces beverages that are fuss-free and high-quality. They created their Vineyard Gin & Tonic. This beverage still includes real gin that has been dealcoholised to create the perfect and convenient, Gin and Tonic in a can.
