British attitudes towards beer are changing, says Harrogate founder of The Alcohol Free Alcohol Free Drinks Company

New figures show an estimated nine million people are thought to have stopped drinking during January this year - up from eight million last year - some of whom, it is believed, will continue to abstain for longer periods.

In addition, 20% of British adults today don’t drink alcohol at all, making the non-drinkers a much greater demographic than vegetarians and vegans (4.5%) and people practising a gluten-free diet (10%).

To a hospitality sector struggling to bounce back from lockdown and facing a cost of living crisis, this puts the onus more than ever on businesses keeping pace with change to maintain competitive advantage.

But, as Brits increasingly put down the bottle in favour of a healthy lifestyle, Andy Mee of Harrogate-based The Alcohol Free Drinks Company says the non-drinker is currently being overlooked, unlike these other dietary preferences.

“Today, not drinking - or drinking less and more mindfully - is a positive choice among Millennials and Gen Z in particular to prioritise physical and mental health,” said Mr Mee, a sales and marketing professional who gave up drinking altogether during the pandemic.

“Many caterers, however, are simply not keeping pace, with orange juice and water often the only non-alcoholic drinks on offer at evening functions I attend.

“Alcohol-free drinks are the fastest growing segment of the beverages market,” said Mr Mee, “and the industry has moved on unrecognisably from the days of bottles of Kaliber gathering dust on the shelves to provide an option for nominated drivers.

“But trade can still face several challenges when trying to offer alcohol-free drinks, not least of all that supply lines are often owned by breweries and alcoholic drinks companies who have their own agenda.”

Founded in August 2021 by Andy Mee, The Alcohol Free Drinks Company sells alcohol-free drinks to trade and direct to consumers through its website www.alcoholfreedrinks.co.uk