The trends behind the best no-and-low drinks this Christmas

Sobriety in moderation

One of the main narratives explaining why people are ditching alcoholic drinks is that they’re increasingly focused on health. For some, the World Health Organization’s statement in The Lancet Public Health in 2023 that ‘when it comes to alcohol consumption, there is no safe amount that does not affect health’ was a Rubicon moment.

But while it’s widely assumed that Gen Z is the most health conscious, Suresh Reddy, founder of Prano, a ginger non-alcoholic aperitif, finds that older drinkers are more motivated by health concerns. ‘They’re the people who’ve always had a drink to wind down in the evening and now are looking to replace or, if not replace, mix it up with something that gives them a similar feeling,’ he says. ‘They’re conscious that alcohol is not good for you and they’re thinking “maybe I should be doing a bit more about it”. Their mantra is “everything in moderation”.’

While older drinkers might crave the ritual of a Gin & Tonic at the end of the day or a glass of wine with dinner, other demographics are more inclined to view alcohol as something reserved for special occasions. Members of Gen Z stand out, according to Mintel’s 2023 UK Alcoholic Drinks Review Market Report, not simply for how little alcohol they consume but also how rarely they have an alcoholic drink as a refreshment or to complement a meal.

The enduring importance of rituals

Even so, according to David Begg, founder and chief executive of UK-based The Real Drinks Company, ‘people want the ritual, if not the alcohol, especially at key drinking moments like midweek dinners, long lunches or celebrations.’

‘We make our cider specifically as an alternative to wine,’ says Find and Foster’s co-founder Polly Hilton. ‘We’ve been doing this for ten years and it’s only in the last couple of years that we’ve noticed a lot of people commenting how they like that they can drink our cider in place of wine and not feel hungover or have it at lunch and still be able to get stuff done in the afternoon.’

Peter Crawford, founder of Fife-based Naughton Cider also notes the trend, though he is definitively not trying to make a low ABV drink. In fact, quite the opposite: ‘I want to maximise the impact of the alcohol in the drink because you can’t get close to that feeling of alcohol with any other chemical. But when I tell someone our current 2021 vintage is 7.6% ABV, fruity and a very good alternative to sparkling wine, the fact that it’s three or four percent lower in alcohol than sparkling wine is definitely helpful. It means you can have a couple of glasses at a party without having to think about it too much.’

Converting long-held habits into non-alcoholic ones isn’t always easy, especially when it’s deeply rooted in cultural practice. Liborio Massimo Colaianni saw the opportunity to use Sicilian oranges, toasted almonds and bitters to create a traditional amaro but without alcohol. The result was IWSC gold-winning Amaro Liborio but as marketing director Greta Finotti explains: ‘In Italy, amaro is a tradition; the beverage you drink after dinner while you chat with friends. For older people, it’s strange to comprehend that an amaro can be alcohol-free. We created the first non-alcoholic amaro – and we’ve had to also make our market.’

Those daily or weekly habitual moments aren’t always the same across age groups either, as Aaron Trotman, founder of Australian non-alcoholic drink NON explains: ‘Some people want a direct replacement for their G&T or beer. Others are looking for a new ritual entirely, something you wouldn’t confuse with alcohol but that still delivers that same sense of occasion.’

Playing with flavour

‘People are looking for simple ways to elevate their everyday lives; small, daily pleasures to lift them,’ says Imme Ermgassen, co-founder of Botivo. ‘They don’t necessarily want to moderate.’ For Ermgassen, the emphasis is pleasure, highlighting the wave of ‘non-mimic’ drinks that have unique profiles and are helping to drive a movement on the bar scene away from pedestrian mocktails to original no-and-low creations. ‘Consumers are craving those experiences in their own right – not just as substitutes.’

Botivo’s research found that 95% of the brand’s customers also consume alcohol and a quarter drink Botivo with alcohol, enjoying the botanical flavours it brings to cocktails. Reddy notes similar behaviour from Prano drinkers: ‘A lot of people who buy Prano drink [alcohol]. The reason I know this is because they come back to me and say, “this goes great with whisky”.’

Trotman attributes the creative and playful use of non-alcoholic drinks to the rise in popularity of aperitivo-style drinks and bitter flavours. ‘There has been a clear rejection of overly sweet drinks and a bigger appetite for products with provenance. It’s made more people appreciate complexity and savoury flavours, which is exactly where NON plays.’

Drinks fostering inclusivity

For Jean-Robert Bellanger, creator of IWSC silver-winner Amaretto Adriatico Zero, it’s about making ritual moments – whether celebratory or more regular social moments of connection – as inclusive as possible. At the launch of Adriatico Zero, mirrored cocktails were offered to demonstrate how easily a straight swap with a quality non-alcoholic product can work. ‘People want to drink the same. If a couple comes into a bar and one’s going to drive and one’s drinking, they should be able to get the same cocktail.’

If swaps, well-crafted alternatives and the freedom to make drinks more playful and interesting makes us more convivial and inclusive drinkers, the rise of no-and-low options can only be a good thing. Whatever the volume of alcohol in the glass, it is surely the fundamental quality of the drink and the shared moment that matter most.

Eight no-and-low drinks to enjoy this festive season