Demand for low-alcohol and alcohol-free drinks is growing at such a fast rate that Waitrose is working with Diageo to introduce bold, dedicated areas in 253 shops across the UK to make it easier for customers to find Waitrose's full range of over 70 low and alcohol-free drinks from beer and cider to wines and spirits.
Over the past year, sales of low-alcohol and alcohol-free drinks have grown by 20 percent at Waitrose, with beer sales continuing to grow the fastest. Introducing dedicated areas means 60 percent more space will be given to low and alcohol-free drinks across our estate.
Research commissioned by Diageo found that seven in ten UK adults want to be able to find low-alcohol and alcohol-free drinks more quickly.
Kantar data found that 99 percent of UK shoppers have bought low and alcohol-free drinks and alcohol over the past year. Separate Kantar research found that nearly half of UK adults (47 percent) were switching between alcohol and low and alcohol-free drinks on the same occasion, and two-fifths (40 percent) of adults said they wanted to moderate their drinking.
Pierpaolo Petrassi, Master of Wine and Head of Beers, Wines and Spirits at Waitrose, said that demand for low-alcohol and alcohol-free drinks was growing phenomenally.
"It's now the norm for customers to buy both. We expect this year to be the biggest year for sales and are preparing for strong Demand at Christmas," said Petrassi.
He continued that the growth was down to the retailer's customers wanting to moderate their alcohol consumption. Secondly, it was also heavily driven by creating new, excellent quality drinks such as Guinness 0.0, Tanqueray 0.0, and Gordon's Pink 0.0.
"We've added ten new low and alcohol-free products this year and will launch more before Christmas."
Nuno Teles, Managing Director Diageo GB, said that the research had shown UK drinkers were becoming more sophisticated and thinking more about how much they drink. The alcohol-free and low-alcohol category was critical in providing quality choices for those looking to moderate without compromising experience.
"However, barriers still exist when finding and understanding the options available. We are proud to partner with Waitrose to make it easier for consumers to know where to find alcohol-free and low-alcohol options in store," said Teles.
Diageo has a long-standing commitment to promoting responsible drinking, and this partnership demonstrated what was possible when brands and retailers worked together to enable more consumer choice and experience.
Neil O'Brien MP, Minister for Primary Care and Public Health, welcomed the initiative and said the government wanted to create a supportive environment to help individuals who want to reduce their alcohol consumption, including through encouraging the substitution of alcoholic drinks with no and low alcohol alternatives.
"We welcome this initiative to increase the availability and to improve signposting of no and low alcohol alternatives in stores," said O'Brien.
