New research from the University of Sheffield suggests consumers are being put off buying non-alcoholic and low alcoholic beverages due to their high cost.
Many low alcohol and no alcohol tipples cost the same or more than the alcoholic versions and the report suggests that some prices have increased this month due to it the move towards Dry January.
The research looked health benefits of the drinking low and no alcohol and found that the were curtailed because of the affordability. The research looked at whether alcohol-related harms were reduced due to the consumption and sales of beers, ciders, wines, spirits and ready-to-drink beverages with less than 1.2% ABV in 2022.
The research found a third of adults consumed no or low alcohol drinks, with one in five doing so at least one a month. They were popular with heavy drinkers, who were also likely to drink them more regularly than lighter or non-drinkers. The wealthy were likely to consume no or low alcohol drinks more often than those from poorer backgrounds.
John Holmes, of the University of Sheffield, which carried out the research, commented, “‘It’s good to see evidence that risky drinkers are trying no/low alcohol beverages.
‘However, these drinks are often expensive. That’s a problem because alcohol causes the most harm among more deprived groups. If those groups can’t afford no/low drinks, it might mean we see only small improvements in public health.’
Professor Brian Ferguson, of the National Institute for Health and Care Research, which funded the report, said: ‘No and low alcohol products remain expensive. Hopefully prices will fall over time as technological advances reduce the production cost.’