The Alcohol-Free Movement is Going Mainstream
The alcohol-free lifestyle, sober curiosity and mindful drinking are all terms that are increasingly normal to hear. People can be more and more open about not drinking, and the alcohol-free movement is ever-growing.
For those of us who have been alcohol-free for longer, this is incredibly exciting. It means that alcohol-free options will be increasingly available wherever you go. So exciting!
Here are just some of the ways we can see alcohol-free becoming mainstream!
Club Soda on BBC Breakfast
Recently Laura Willoughby, founder of Club Soda, was featured on BBC Breakfast where she spoke about all things alcohol-free. Laura was featured alongside a nutritionist to discuss the rise in alcohol-free drinking. She went into some of the reasons that people are choosing to reduce or remove alcohol including the following:
The awareness that alcohol does not help to curate a happy mindset,
The poor mental health in younger people, and the increased focus on mental wellbeing
More awareness about the impact of alcohol on sugar consumption.
Hearing Laura talk on such a mainstream TV show is huge for the alcohol-free movement. The more people can openly talk about the health benefits of reducing alcohol intake or going sober, the easier it will be to lead an alcohol-free lifestyle.
Alcohol-Free Brands at Large Events
Over the last year, alcohol-free brands have had a growing presence at some of the year's biggest events. This year at the Royal Ascot there was a mindful drinking bar. It was run by Harrogate Spring Water and served a diverse range of alcohol-free cocktails, beer, champagne and sparkling wine. They included drinks such as the Jubilee Spritz, an alcohol-free drink created by mixologist Merlin Griffiths. They also sold the Royal Rose 0% alcohol cocktail and an alcohol-free cocktail called “On the Nose” among others.
Alcohol-free brands were also present in force at large events such as Taste of London, the Good Food Show and a range of other festivals and food festivals. At these festivals drinkers and non-drinkers alike seem to be open to trying the different alcohol-free drinks available. All of this means that going alcohol-free is increasingly seen as normal.
Expert Booze-Free Tipples Guides in the News
The Daily Mail also recently posted an expert guide to booze-free tipples. In this guide, they recommended a huge range of different alcohol-free drinks from alcohol-free beers and wines to alcohol-free cocktails.
They mentioned brands like UNLTD, Noughty, Caleño and Sentia, speaking very positively about all of the drinks they mentioned. This sort of positive news coverage published in huge and widely read newspapers is excellent for the alcohol-free movement. They give these smaller, passionate alcohol-free brands the chance to be seen by a wider audience, develop more drinks and grow. This only means good things for the consumers!
Non-Alcoholic Drinks Sales Up
For the first time, this June non-alcoholic drink sales were higher in June than in January. This is huge because usually, January is the highest-selling month for alcohol-free drinks. This is because people have made New Year's resolutions and are still sticking to them, and because so many people participate in Dry January. However, usually, the sales drop again until the next January as people fall back into the habit of drinking.
But in 2023, for the first time, the June sales trumped the January sales. Tesco has said that sales of no/low beer were a whole 25% higher in June than in January, and pubs have found that alcohol-free beer sales are 23% higher than a year ago.
This shows that the alcohol-free movement is becoming more dependable. People feel more confident enjoying alcohol-free alternatives and are noticing the impact that alcohol has on their lifestyles.
Sign Up for JOMO
If you want to be part of the growing mindful drinking or alcohol-free movement, why not sign up for a JOMO alcohol-free subscription?
Each month we send a subscription box that has been mindfully curated using only the best alcohol-free drinks out there.
Each alcohol-free subscription box is sent directly to your front door and contains the following:
One full-sized alcohol-free spirit
Paired cocktail recipes and mixers
Garnishes
A range of ready-to-drink alcohol-free drinks
Delicious snacks
A glossy magazine with everything you need to know about your new goodies.
So why not dive right in and start tasting alcohol-free drinks you won’t find in the supermarket? You’ll see the joy of missing out!