Trend Curve

WGSN Trend Curve: Low &

No Alcohol Drinks
The WGSN Trend Curve uses proprietary data sources,
machine-learning technology and analytics interpreted by
WGSN's Food & Drink trend forecasting strategists to track
trend growth through four stages of adoption. In this
report, we reveal the dynamic growth of low-and-no
alcohol beers, spirits, cocktails and wines, as this growing
category meets updated health, wellness and lifestyle
needs and generates consumer engagement and creativity

Kara Nielsen, Arthur Bovino & Z ara Hussain

04.01.21 · 19 minutes

Time Out/0% Non-Alcohol Experience

Executive summary
WGSN’s Trend Curve: Low & No Alcohol Drinks analyses social media and online
retail shelf data to visually illustrate the creative ideas drinkers are bringing to
life to meet their own evolving relationship to alcohol and the expansion of a Low & no alcohol
small but growing slice of the packaged drinks market. What you need to know

Why low-and-no alcohol? While a small percentage (less than 4%) of the alcoholic
Social media Online retail
drink market, this category is growing and diversifying, with more variety and good
quality products meeting the needs of an increasing number of consumers seeking Penetration Market growth Top growth category
moderation and sobriety. This category offers many opportunities for various drinks
brands.
4.2% + 208% Ready-to-drink
Dr ivers : the Covid-19 pandemic accelerated interest in maintaining good health and Buzz Share
building immunity; cutting down or out alcohol was part of that, as was drinking at +195% YoY + 9ppts UK
home in 2020. But the low-and-no trend has been rising for years, with social media + 40%
(February 2021)
activity highest during summer and Dry January. New 0% ABV spirit offerings from big + 29ppts US
and boutique brands and 4-7% ABV canned hard seltzer riffs are driving expansion. Dry January Driver
UK US
Trend level: 4+% penetration across all stages; moving beyond Innovator mocktail 8.5% Penetration
Hard Seltzer
recipes to brands and retailers promoting products. (2021)
(2019-2021)

Online retail growth: in the UK and US, low-and-no styles are creeping up and
taking 3.27% (UK) and 3.46% (US) share of the Beer, Wine & Spirits category. US Penetration Categories to watch
standout hard seltzer is driving ready-to-drink domination in both markets, a sign of +3.1ppts (2021) Distilled botanical spirits
broader RTD opportunity.
Early Majority No-alcohol craft beer
Ones to watch: 0% ABV spirits riffing off pioneer Seedlip; canned low-and-
no cocktails; zero-alcohol cra beer; de-alcoholised wine. Mainstreamers De-alcoholised wine
Action p oints : with health a top consumer concern and delicious zero-alcohol
options rising fast, now is the time to launch brands, develop new products and look
for ways to add creative, alluring line-ups to bar, restaurant and other hospitality
WGSN Trend Curve, social media and online retail data
outlet menus. These products also fit in retail locations where alcohol cannot play,
like gyms, spas, retail gi shops and health food stores, offering wider leveraging
opportunities.

1
Food & Drink Trend Curve methodology

Our proprietary methodology combines data science, analytics and

Stage 1 Stage 2 Stage 3 Stage 4
human expertise to give you a valuable visualisation of how trends are
Emerging Advancing Expanding Maturing
growing and where and when they should be leveraged for new
product development and business growth.

WGSN uses proprietary data from sister brands Edge by Ascential and
Yimian by Ascential to produce high-value market intelligence across
the food industry covering digital commerce and social media insights
and analytics. Innovator Early Adopter Early Majority Mainstreamer

Trend Curve stage Key terms and definitions

A specific stage in the Trend Curve that indicates the level of trend adoption. See the full methodology at the end of report

Innovator Early Adopter WGSN Influencer Penetration

Chefs, independent restaurants, bartenders,
artisan makers, recipe creators and wellness
trailblazers bringing fresh, new and unique
food and drink trends to life.
Early Majority
Trend-conscious but not driven grocery
retailers, restaurant chains, food and drink
brands, and larger food media driving
expanding trends towards the mainstream.
Progressive, trend-forward food and drink
businesses and brands, media companies,
bloggers and professional influencers
advancing trends to the next level.
Mainstreamer
The most mainstream brands, retailers, media
outlets and restaurant chains adopting trends at
their height of popularity and when they
become the most accessible for the mass
Map by a team of WGSN Food & Drink
Created The percentage of our influencer map that
trend specialists to identify global influencers has interacted with a trend in a period of
from a range of sources, including chefs, time.
recipe creators, dieticians/nutritionists, food Freshness index (%)
brands and grocery retailers.
Measure of the % of newness within a trend.
Buzz
# of likes + # of comments + count

2
Overview
Innovation in low-and-no alcohol drinks is speeding up, expanding global
offerings for mindful drinkers with better tasting zero-proof beer, more styles of Volume of low & no alcohol drinks in Beers,
distilled spirits and aperitifs, and new canned wines and mocktails. Now is the Wine & Spirits, split by category
time to dial in this exciting trend.
Beers, Lager, Ale and Cider Ready to Drink Spirits Wine
We have been tracking this trend for years, calling out botanical spirits in 2018, hard
seltzers in 2019, and 'temperance cocktails', zero-proof beer and new hard canned
UK US
drinks in 2020. Yet these moderated sips are only a tiny sliver of the Beer, Wine &
700
Spirits category, less than 4%. But they are growing globally and projected to rise
31% in volume by 2024, moving fastest in the US, Germany and Spain, according to a
2021 study by drinks market analysts IWSR.
42%
The same study reports that consumers mostly drink low-and-no at home (64% of
23%
occasions) to reduce the effects of alcohol. Some, 58%, start with full-alcohol drinks,
45%
then cut back, while 14% abstain from alcohol altogether. With so many good-tasting

Volume
products and mocktail recipes online, sober curious drinkers driven by interest in 350 48%
good tasting drinks as well as health maintenance are discovering this dynamic 14%
6% 30%
sector and joining a buzzy, growing trend enhanced by NPD. 51%
5%
What does this mean for you? 23% 23%
35%
With good taste, positive health benefits and expanded choices luring new users to 21%
29%
low-and-no alcohol drinks, now is the time for drink brands, restaurants and 9%
4%
22%
hospitality businesses, and retailers to strategise how to make more space for these 26% 13%
27% 21% 22%
options. Find the products and assortments that are in line with your consumer 37% 27%
0
targets, communicate ingredients and alcohol levels clearly, and help consumers 2019 2020 2021 2019 2020 2021
discover low-and-no replacements for favourite drinks.

WGSN Trend Curve, online retail data

3
Who's been talking about low-and-no alcohol drinks?
Innovators have led the conversation since 2018 but in early 2021, every stage joined in,
leading to signi cant increases in posts with mocktail recipes (many using new botanical
spirits), zero-proof beer promotions and lots of Dry January commentary – pro and con

Low & no alcohol: penetration over time split by stage

Innovator Early Adopter Early Majority Mainstreamer
15
+ 134% Buzz YoY
Low & no alcohol penetration
peaked during Dry January 2021
10
Penetration (%)

0
2018 2019 2020 2021

Peaks from Dry January and the UK's "Eat Out to Help Out" restaurant meal and non-alcoholic drink promotion in summer 2020 (WGSN Trend Curve, social media data)

4
 “If you’re looking into a Dry January, might we suggest the hoppy Brooklyn Special
Effects? The alcohol-free brew (0.4%) is dry-hopped with the aromatic Citra and
Amarillo hops, and has a crisp, fresh taste. Alcohol-free beer has seen huge growth in
recent years and became more popular than ever during a turbulent 2020. Driven by
an increased focus on health and wellness and awareness of the great taste and
options available, the Carlsberg Group’s alcohol-free brews portfolio grew 29%
between July and September of 2020.”

- @carlsberggroup, 4,815 followers, January 5 2021

5
What's happening on social media?
The buzz on this topic has been exploding, with an increase of 50% YoY in
February 2020, then rocketing up 195% YoY in February 2021, driven by Early Top keywords in low & no alcohol on social media in 2020
Majority and Mainstreamer in uencers touting products and Dry January
promotions. Follow the Buzz for NPD inspiration.  hangoverfree
christmas tea joy_energise
Whoʼs talking? Low-and-no beer, spirit and RTD makers led the chatter, with 18.8% lemon encourage
penetration in February 2021, up from 4.7% the year before. Media publications,
ginger mocktail location
drink
retailers and cocktail bloggers joined in.
What are they shar ing? Just as vegan alternatives are now routinely shared in non- avor fruit beer lime
tonic

cocktail
texas
juice
vegan baking recipes, alcohol-free variations of popular cocktails are offered by bar
creators and promoted by restaurants and bars. Testimonials to the benefits of a syrup rum ice party
low-and-no alcohol lifestyle tout low calories and sugar, and better sleep – all hot vegan
wellness topics. spirit tequila

alcohol
lime_juice
caleno
What are they p itching? Botanic drink brands including UKʼs Everleaf, Caleño joy
bottle water
Drinks, and Seedlip along with its vermouth alternative, Aecorn, post how their
products fit into all types of lifestyles and drinking occasions, with Dry January beverage wine
leading. Sparkling and tonic waters and bitter brands offer recipes while breweries
and distilleries at all levels show off new low-and-no products. Restaurants offered
mocktail_drink
glass alcoholfreepineapple
drink delivery and in summer 2020, UK restaurants promoted the Eat Out to Help Out gin delivery recipe
scheme, with non-alcoholic drinks as part of the offer.
instadrink vodka
How you can action this : social media has done a great deal to promote the margarita lemon_juice

glamour, trendiness and wellness benefits of low-and-no alcohol drinking, even restriction nohangover
some of the time or for part of the year. Cool, Millennial-focused design, great lowalcohol_lowcalorie

looking glassware for mocktails, and an overarching feeling of 'no compromise'

makes this space alluring. Tap into these themes and messaging points for this WGSN Trend Curve, social media data
sector.

6
 “For those looking for a great night’s sleep, an #OldFashioned is one of our favourite
ways to enjoy #Nightcap☁ Indulgent and luxurious, this slow sipper will soothe your
palate, body and mind.  What’s in it? ThreeSpirit Nightcap, Angostura bitters, orange
peel garnish , Maraschino cherries "

- @threespiritdrinks, 22.5k followers, February 12 2021

7
Social media close-up: Dry January
Alcohol Change UK reported 6.5 million adults intended to practise Dry January 2021, up from 3.9 million in
2020. Improving sleep, saving money and enjoying creative booze alternatives were drivers. We also saw a
major increase in social media posts as various brands discussed the topic.

Dry January grows in popularity each year

Low & no alcohol penetration on social media during Dry January

10 2021

8.53%

@getgruvi
2020
Penetration (%)

Innovator alcohol-free beer brand in Denver Get

5 Gruvi celebrates a completed Dry January. The
2019 4.88%
brand of craft-brewed, alcohol-free beer and
wine offered kits, tips and encouragement
2018 3.70% throughout the month

2.83%

@lipton @morrisons

WSGN Trend Curve, social media data

Mainstreamer Lipton shared a Dry January Tea UK retailer Morrisons shared a mocktail
Punch recipe (left); UK's Innocent Coconut Milk recipe made with Belvoir Blueberry &
joined Dry January with a humorous post that Blackcurrant Cordial, lemon and pineapple
also noted Veganuary (right) juices and raspberries for an elegant sip

8
Social media close-up: mocktail styles
The Food & Drink In uencer Map is brimming with recipes for mocktails, some
variations on cocktail recipes, others designed to embrace the glory and full- Popular cocktails on social media with low & no alcohol twists
avoured variety these zero-proof sips can deliver. Take inspiration and don't
be shy to create or promote complex mocktails. Innovator Early Adopter Early Majority Mainstreamer
Mojito
Classic cocktail recipes are endlessly recra ed on social media, o en using a base
Margarita
of non-alcoholic beers or spirits, a new development thanks to the multitude of new
products exploding in retail. These are blended with fruit juices, teas, kombuchas Martini
and even coffee. Gin and tonic

Mojito: kiwi, matcha and pomegranate juice appeared in riffs on mojitos; Texas Negroni
retailer H-E-B suggested its cold-pressed mixers in Pineapple flavour; French
Piña colada
retailer Le Clerc promoted zero-proof Lagoa Mojito mixer for a summer drink
Bloody Mary
option
Sangria
Mar tini: espresso versions made with botanical spirits, martini glasses to make
any mocktail special, and low-and-no alcohol vermouths, including zero-proof Daiquiri

Vibrante and Floreale from Martini & Rossi gave dimension to the martini (and Mimosa
martiNO) Gimlet
Gin: low-and-no alcohol botanical spirits, led by pioneer Seedlip, have Moscow Mule
proliferated and are featured in myriad gin and tonics, some with apple juice,
Hot toddy
rhubarb-flavoured Clean Co, and premium tonic waters, like Fever Tree
Cosmopolitan
Negroni: or did you say, NOgroni? Seedlip's vermouth spin-off, Aecorn
0 2 4
Bitter, stands in for Campari when blended with blood orange soda. The brand % share of low/no alcohol
offers a ready-to-drink version
How you can action this : mocktails can be offered beyond the bar and sold
WGSN Trend Curve, social media data
anywhere if they are zero-proof. Move these creative sips to spas, health clubs and
wellness-oriented retail outlets.

9
Social media close-up: avour map
Chocolate, coffee, green tea avours, herbs and sweeteners join a wide range of fruit
beyond cocktail-classic citrus in low-and-no posts.

Low & no alcohol: trending flavours on social media

Number of users

lemon ginger pineapple strawberry basil raspberry pear pomegranate

mango

vanilla

coconut honey
maple green rhubarb blackberry

tea
mint rosemary
lime
hibiscus
grapefruit peach matcha guava
watermelon
blood orange
jasmine
lychee

Flavours called out in low-and-no alcohol social media posts (WGSN Trend Curve, social media data)

10
Online retail
Low-and-no alcohol products are growing in online retail, with frontrunner
styles emerging by global region as consumers, stuck at home for months, Share of low & no alcohol in Beers, Wines & Spirits
explore options. While a small slice of the massive alcohol category, low-and-no Online Retail Q1 2019 - 2021
is on track to take share and expand much further.
UK US
2020 was a setback year with the loss of on-premise sales. The flipside was more 4
retail sales for home drinking, where consumers could comfortably explore the
low-and-no category for variety and discovery. As 2021 points to an ease in 3.46%
lockdowns and more celebratory group gatherings, low-and-no options will be on 3.27%
shopping lists and menus. 3

Since 2019, the UK online retail market grew 40% in volume, taking up 3.27% of the
total Beer, Wine & Spirits sector. Mainstream low-and-no beers (Heineken, Beckʼs, 2.48%

Share of category (%)

2.36%
Guinness) and cra brands (Brewdog, Lucky Saint) dominate, but are losing share to
2.11%
new ready-to-drinks, moving from 5% to 14% (2019-2021, see chart on page 3). Watch 2 1.94%
for Lilo, Whisp and US import White Claw. Spirits, bigger in the UK than US, are on
the rise as own-label and startup botanical brews (Celeño, Cederʼs, CleanCo,
Everleaf, Gordonʼs) join pioneer Seedlip. De-alcoholised wine from Torres, Fre and
retailer own-brands are also creeping in. 1

In the US, low-and-no now has 3.46% of the total category, up a whopping 208% in
volume from 2019, thanks to hard seltzer's dominance; overall ready-to-drinks take
up 51%, climbing steeply from 35% in 2019. Botanical spirits are much smaller in the
US, revealing potential opportunities. Canned versions of mocktails, de-alcoholised 0
wines and low-ABV sparkling drinks are poised to grow in this convenience-oriented 2019 2020 2021 2019 2020 2021
region where canned 'ranch waters' made from agave will step on hard seltzer's toes
to become the drink of summer 2021.
WGSN Trend Curve, online retail data

11
Global low-and-no alcohol products
The low-and-no alcohol movement is a global one, with new brands of spirits, RTD mocktails, beers and
wines hitting the market monthly. The global market is targeted for 34% volume growth 2019-2024.

@siegfriedgin @svamidrinks @frogpubs Food Navigator-Asia @giesenwines

Siegfried Wonderleaf,
Germany
In 2020, Diageo bought a
minority stake in Rheinland
Distillers, which launched
Germany's first non-alcoholic
spirit alternative, Siegfried
Wonderleaf.
Svami Zero Proof Drinks,
India
In late 2020, Mumbai-based cra
tonic maker Svami launched
three zero-proof RTD
beverages: Gin & Tonic, Pink Gin
& Tonic (infused with wild
berries) and Rum & Cola.
Frog Beer Incroyable,
France
In early 2021, French brewery
Frog Beer launched its non-
alcoholic cra beer (0.5% ABV)
Incroyable in four brews:
Blonde, IPA, Blanche and Stout.
The line is available in FrogPubs
on tap or in bottle.
Asahi Beery, Japan
In summer 2021, Japanese Asahi
Breweries is launching Beery
nationwide, a carbonated low-
alcoholic drink (0.5% ABV) it
hopes will help drive sales of
products at 3.5% ABV or lower
to increase from 6% to 20% by
2025.
Giesen Wine, New Zealand
New Zealand winery Giesen
Wines created what it's calling
the world's first zero-alcohol
Marlborough sauvignon blanc,
launched in autumn 2020. There
are only 16 calories per 125ml
glass. It was envisaged when
winery staff started a fitness
challenge and realised they
couldn't drink their own wines.

12
Across the Trend Curve stages
The four Trend Curve stages illustrate what the low-and-no alcohol trend looks like as it matures and
moves toward mass appeal. Creative, inspiring early-stage examples will inform late-stage business
strategies.
De nitions
The WGSN Trend Curve reflects
data from our social media
Influencer Map and online retail
sources. Sources are mapped
across four stages – Innovator,
Early Adopter, Early Majority and
Mainstreamer – according to
when they adopt trends.
Opportunities emerge in early
stages that will inform business
growth in later stages.
13
Everleaf Drinks
Innovator
Huge flavour and style
creativity in social media
mocktail recipes; o en riffs
on traditional cocktails but
with twists
Indie low-and-no botanic
spirit, beer and wine brands
promote new products
showing variety and the
strength of the movement
@marksandspencerfoodpr
Early Adopter
Cra beers are launched as
alternatives to Mainstreamer
zero-proof beers and low-
alcohol hard seltzer drinks
Ready-to-drink mocktails
expand packaged drink
choices, including an own-
label G&T from Marks &
Spencer (UK)
@heb
Early Majority
Dry January is a big topic due
to retailers and brands
pitching tonics, juices and
zero-proof products,
including Central Market's
Organic Light Ginger Beer
(US)
Large beverage companies
roll out canned products to
compete with hard seltzer in
the US
AB InBev
Mainstreamer
Global beer and spirit leaders
promote major ranges of
zero-alcohol beers and new
gins, many years in
development
Hard seltzer brands move
beyond the US and expand
styles
Sodas and juices vie for
inclusion in mocktails with
socially promoted recipes

Pineapple juice and avoured ingredients like
Monin syrups shot up 50% from 2019 to 2020,
often in piña colada variations (WGSN Trend
Curve, social media data)
@drink.mary
Mary is one of numerous UK low-alcohol
botanical spirits gaining attention. At 6% ABV
it's positioned to be an alternative to gin and
other hard alcohols
14
Everleaf Drinks
Conservation biologist and owner of London
bar Hide, Paul Mathew, launched UK's Everleaf
in 2019. Its Marine style uses red dulse
seaweed and acacia to replace the weight of
alcohol
@binarybotanical
UK's Binary Botanic is a table beer designed to
replace wine and was created by female
brewers seeking new low-and-zero alcohol
options. It stars alongside pancakes in this
#PancakeDay social media post
Innovator
Innovators have been leading the low-and-
no alcohol conversation in social with
recipes, product promos and Dry January
buzz. While now joined by other stages,
avour inspiration can be found here.
UK botanical spirits show the range of brand
and flavour styles possible as this category
heads towards more canned ready-to-drink
Mocktails, a drink choice for centuries,
feature tea, kombucha, cordials and fruit
juices
Dry January has been embraced by every
drink influencer and new brands, showing
the strength of the mindful drinking
movement
How you can action this : the loud buzz of Dry
January 2021 and the huge variety of flavours
and ingredients in mocktail recipes at the
Innovator stage signal excitement and interest
in the low-and-no space but also the need for
great tasting products that can fit into any
season and occasion. Look to the impressive
number of botanical spirits in the UK to forge
inroads in other regional markets, especially
for on-premise.
@the_cocktailguy
The Cocktail Guy, AKA Rich Woods of London
bar Scout, shared a Coffee Colada mocktail
recipe for Dry January with cold-brew coffee,
pineapple cordial, cream of coconut and zero-
alcohol Botaniets gin
 “Basil, thyme, sage, juniper, coriander, angelica and pine are the plants we use to
make the deliciously fresh, deliciously low-alcohol botanical blend. (And only 9 Kcals
per pour!)”

-@drink.mary, 2,347 followers; June 5 2020

15

Ready-to-drink seltzers, beers and emerging
mocktails expand in the UK and US; see
category chart on page 3 (WGSN Trend Curve,
online retail data)
@calenodrinks
One new UK RTD comes from Caleño Drinks, a
brand with a Latin feel started by a Colombian
woman; pictured here, Light & Zesty
is promoted with Colombian cuisine from
Maize Blaze in London
16
@yummly
Yummly, a recipe app in the US, shared a
Watermelon Mockjito in July 2020,
encouraging readers to not be afraid to put
together refreshing non-alcoholic cocktail
@bonappetitmag
In January 2021, US food magazine Bon Appétit
showed off new non-alcoholic craft beers in
IPA, lager and sour ale styles
Early Adopter
In this stage of the Trend Curve, craft beer is
a hot topic, with new offerings arriving
alongside canned ready-to-drinks, revealing
where future growth and opportunity is
headed.
Summer and holiday social media posts
reflect the wide variety of mocktail styles
and products that fit these occasions
More RTDs arrive from indie brands and
retailers' own-labels, like Marks &
Spencer's G&T in a can, indicating the
market's direction
Cra beer will start competing with big
label zero-proof options with a tasty range
of styles
How you can action this : the news and
excitement in this category is set to explode as
lockdowns end and the Covid pandemic
recedes, allowing families and friends to
gather and celebrate together. For retailers,
plan assortments for seasonal interest as
more consumers embrace this lifestyle. For
drinks brands, carve out room in a portfolio for
trend-forward and classic offerings to meet
diverse consumer needs.
@nirvanabeerco
Nirvana Brewery calls itself the UK's only
dedicated non-alcoholic brewery and
promoted its dark and rich stout as "a gift for
the gluten-free" in December 2020
 “Yes, non-alcoholic craft beer exists, and it’s delicious. Thanks to the broader interest
in booze-free drinks, there’s been massive progress in the eld of non-alcoholic craft
beer, which now could pass unnoticed in a line-up of fully alcoholic offerings. Fruit-
forward un ltered IPAs, crisp clean lagers and lip-smacking sour ales are being
produced by breweries with varying proprietary methods of removing alcohol from
their brews.”

- @bonappetitmag, 4m followers, January 15 2021

17

The stage with the highest penetration of Dry
January posts was Early Majority, up 3.6
percentage points from 2020 to 10.7%;
penetration was only 2.2% in 2018 (WGSN
Trend Curve, social media data)
@lagunitasbeer
US craft beer brewer Lagunitas is known for its
potent IPAs. It promoted its non-alcoholic
version during Dry January 2021 as an option
for breakfast, weekday afternoons and after
higher ABV sipping
18
Wilma
Bacardi-owned Martini launched two non-
alcoholic aperitif wines in March 2020 by
removing the alcohol from classic vermouths.
Vibrante is fruity with bergamot; Floreal is
made with camomile for a more oral avour
@davinci_gourmet
DaVinci Gourmet, a avoured syrup brand
owned by Kerry, offers mocktail recipe ideas
using its sweetener and fruit avoured syrups
Early Majority
Early Majority trends show ways mainstream
mixers, beverages and brands are getting in
on the low-and-no action with spritzer
recipes and established brand products.
The spritzer aperitif trend popular in
western Europe continues there and has
moved to the US, where recipes and
products offer ideas
Dry January promotions give recipe and
product ideas and tout Dry July and Sober
October as additional times to go dry
Retailers find mocktail ingredients across
categories offering inspiration: Aldi Belgium
promotes Doyenne pears; US Wegmans
suggests pomegranate arils while UK's
Morrisons blends peaches with lemonade
How you can action this : while recipe and tips
are inspiring for those at home, as consumers
emerge from home to revisit bars and
restaurants, menus will need to include more
styles of low-and-no drinks. In retail,
convenient ready-made drinks will meet
demands for convenient and portable sips for
parties and gatherings. Start now with
planning.
@wegmans
US retailer Wegmans suggests garnishing a
mocktail spritzer made with Cranberry Peach
Kombucha with its convenient ready-to-use
pomegranate arils
 “As the sun sets on January, cheers to everyone who went dry (and to all the ones who
didn’t)! January might be disappearing into our hazy memories, but we’ll be keeping
this one around for pancake pairings, Tuesday afternoons, Maximus chasers, and
every other time we’re craving hoppilicious goodness without the ABV. #IPNA”

- @lagunitasbeer, 293k followers; 31 January 2021

19

A sharp increase from February 2020's 1.2%
penetration in Mainstreamer social media to
4.3% in 2021 shows mass potential and future
growth for low-and-no alcohol (WGSN Trend
Curve, social media data)
FoodBev Media
US hard seltzer leader White Claw expanded
its portfolio in March 2021 with 5% ABV, 100
calorie hard seltzer iced teas in Peach,
Raspberry, Lemon and Mango avours
20
@tazo
Tazo (US) launched mixology-inspired tea-
based mixers in Berry Hibiscus Margarita and
Ginger Lime Moscow Mule styles for mocktail
(and cocktail) making
The Temperance Club/Gordon's
In summer 2020, gin stalwart Gordon's rolled
out alcohol-free gin based on its signature
London Dry recipe, the rst for Diageo and also
promoted for its low calories
@mountaindew
Mountain Dew pitched its Livewire as an
ingredient in a tiki-inspired Mali-DEW Sunset
made with pineapple and orange juices,
grenadine and coconut- avoured rum,
which can be omitted for an alcohol-free
option
Mainstreamer
Mass brands traditionally dominate the
alcoholic drinks market and are nding their
way into low-and-no relevance with new
products and positionings. Keep variety and
indie spirit in mind at this stage.
Hard seltzer is expanding in style and in
global regions. Goldman Sachs predicts the
market to hit $30bn by 2023 as more mass
beer makers launch brands and regional
styles, like Texas ranch water, gain attention
with their newness
Mixer brands ranging from sparkling water
to tonic to syrups, juices and even sodas
have potential to launch ready-made drinks
outside of the liquor category, further
blurring lines
As mass beer brands expand into this space,
look for cra beer competition or acquisition
How you can action this :
mainstreamer retailers and brands have
awoken to the excitement and potential of the
low-and-no alcohol sector, one that is seen as a
key to improved health and wellness and more
balanced living. Keep health in mind new
offerings with clean labels, low calories and
smaller sizes.
 “Did you know that we offer more than 80 no-or-low alcohol beers (NABLABs)
worldwide? Our expanding portfolio offers a range of styles and avours to meet
growing consumer demand, with Bud Zero among our newest additions. Plus, grabbing
a NABLAB doesn’t mean you have to compromise on great taste! 100% greatness, 0%
alcohol.”

- @abinbev, 38.5k followers; January 27 2021

21
1 234
Action points
Create something for everyone
As more consumers decide to skip or
limit alcohol, they are looking for
replacements of their preferred
libations. Look to the attributes and
qualities of regular drinks – full-
flavoured IPA beers, effervescent
spritzers, fine global wines – and
translate them into low-and-no versions
22
Find the right t and occasion
In the last year, most low-and-no
alcohol was enjoyed at home but as
consumers emerge from the pandemic,
they will seek them on menus, when
travelling and at all times of the year.
Hospitality businesses of all types
should explore the styles that fit with
cuisine types, regional locations and
seasonal menus, while retailers can
plan assortments that match holidays
and other annual moments
Satisfy with good taste and
avour
The rise of high-quality boutique
products alongside well-made
mainstream offerings shows that great-
tasting solutions can exist. As this
category expands regionally and into
on-premise locations, focus on building
drinks with the sensory qualities that
don't compromise and that offer a wide
range of flavour options
Underscore health and wellness
Many consumers are seriously
prioritising their health following the
coronavirus pandemic, and that includes
everything from calorie counting to
increasing exercise and seeking better
sleep. Just cutting the alcohol out of
new offerings wonʼt cut it: ensure clean
label ingredients also support
wellness credentials and include clear
messaging on calorie and ABV counts to
support shoppers
Methodology and de nitions
The WGSN Trend Curve uses machine learning and data analytics to track,
analyse and interpret food and drink trends as they emerge from innovative
disruptors and developers, and expand across four stages of maturity towards
the mainstream marketplace.

We identify patterns and trends from millions of social media posts and online retail
shelf data. This proprietary combination of technology, data science and human
ingenuity gives you a valuable visualisation of how trends are growing across food &
drink industries.
We interpret these movements and align them with powerful consumer drivers to
forecast how, where and when trends can best be leveraged for new product
development and innovation strategy.
Our WGSN influencer map positions food and drink sources into four stages
classified as Innovator, Early Adop ter, Early Major ity or Mains treamer according
to when they adopt trends. Food & Drink data is mapped and analysed on our
Influencer Map.
Trend: a specific ingredient, formulation, aroma, application method, benefit,
product, or broader societal movement impacting the sector.
Trend Cur ve: the WGSN Trend Curve is grounded in the Diffusion of Innovation
Theory (DOI Rogers, 1962) and the innovation S-curve.
Trend Cur ve s tage: a specific point in the Trend Curve that denotes the level of
trend adoption. Cooper's Hawk Winery & Restaurants

WGSN Influencer Map: created by a team of WGSN Food & Drink strategists that US restaurant and winery chain Cooper Hawk Winery introduced its own Meyer Lemon Wine
identifies global influencers from a range of sources, including chefs, cocktail Seltzer, a premium low-cal offering made from wine, not malt liquor like most hard seltzers
bloggers, restaurants, retailers and restaurant chains.

23
WGSN data sources
Retail data: Edge by Ascential
WGSN uses retail data from the world's leading e-commerce provider, covering online
inventory, price and promo, search and product detail information.
Grocery categories include Beer, Lager, Ale and Cider, Wine and Spirits from 30
online retailers in the UK and US
Retailers include Amazon, Costco, Tesco, Ocado and Walmart, among others
No-and-low alcohol products were tracked in ingredients, product names or
descriptions found on retailers' websites
Data was collected from January to March 2019, 2020 and 2021
ppts: percentage points difference
Percentages may not add up to 100 due to rounding
Freshness index (%): measure of the % of newness within a trend
Markdown percentage (%): markdown products as a % of total product offering
Out-of-stock (%): products marked out of stock as a percentage of total products
24
S ocial media data: Yimian by Ascential
We leverage the power of Yimianʼs AI technology and real-time social listening and
analysis tool to identify trends, keywords and sentiments on social media.
Data and analysis are based on posts containing low-and-no alcohol mentions,
keywords and hashtags from accounts within our WGSN influencer map
Low-and-no alcohol keywords tracked include low alcohol, alcohol-free, dry
january, no-low-drinks, sober curious, among others
Data was collected from January 1 2018 to March 8 2021
Penetration: the percentage of our WGSN influencer map that has interacted with a
trend in a period of time (# unique users who posted at least once/total active users)
x 100
Buzz: # of likes + # of comments + count
NLP techniques such as key phrase extraction are used to produce the word clouds
NLP techniques such as key phrase extraction and topic modelling are used to
produce our word clouds
ppts: percentage points
Related reports

Drinks Forecast 2023 Ones to Watch: Disruptive Key Trend: Beer Key Trend: Winter Drinks Ones to Watch: Canned
Hard Beverages Cocktails

25