Zero Pulse
Why beer has a head start in alcohol-free drinks
By Anthony
To begin
Alcohol-free beer starts on familiar ground: the bottle or can, the head, the styles and the occasions all come from regular beer. People already know the brands, and 0.0 versions have secured supermarket shelf space. Choosing one means trying a variation on a familiar ritual.
Three recent studies view that head start from different angles. FranceAgriMer examines perceptions, Brasseurs de France tracks supermarket sales, and Ipsos and IWSR look at brand trust across several countries. None tells the whole story, but together they point to a practical advantage: beer is now the most familiar way into alcohol-free drinks.
Surveys, sales, and brands
Before comparing the results, it is essential to understand what each one measures. In one instance, a survey questions consumers; in another, a panel tracks sales volumes; elsewhere, a global study looks at brand trust. The figures complement one another, but they are not interchangeable.
Scroll the table to read all columns.
| Source | Scope | Key findings | Limitation to note |
|---|---|---|---|
| FranceAgriMer, 2025 study | 1,111 French adults aged 18–70, plus 12 qualitative interviews | Describes perceptions and consumption habits regarding No/Low beverages; does not measure sales | The survey’s broad analytical definition includes ordinary low-strength alcoholic drinks; its penetration figures are not shares of alcohol-free sales |
| Brasseurs de France, 2025 report | Beer sales in supermarkets and a survey of brewers | Non-alcoholic beer sales grew by 11.5% year-on-year, approaching 6% of total beer volumes in supermarkets | These figures do not cover the full range of No/Low beverages or all distribution channels |
| Ipsos and IWSR, 2026 global study | Compilation of international consumer and beverage-market datasets | 77% of consumers say they trust a new product more if it comes from an established brand | The report combines several datasets; the trust statistic is not a French 0.0-beer purchase rate |
The full FranceAgriMer synthesis, published in January 2026 and reporting the 2025 survey, confirms 1,111 respondents and 12 interviews. It also reports that 72% had consumed at least one No or Low drink in the preceding 12 months. That broad category includes ordinary beers in the Low group: it is not a 72% rate of alcohol-free beer purchasing or a sales share.
The common thread in these studies is more modest: beer benefits from established reference points. Sales figures measure its lead in supermarkets, while surveys offer insights into understanding this lead rather than providing a single explanation.
A product that needs no instructions
A 0.0 beer retains immediately recognisable features: bottle or can, colour, head, styles such as lager or IPA, serving temperature (chilled), and its role as an aperitif or meal accompaniment. Consumers can compare it to a familiar benchmark.
There are fewer unknowns when making a choice. While taste and quality may come as a surprise, people know what to do with it even before the first sip: consumers know when to drink it, which glass to use, what to pair it with, and where to find it. Non-alcoholic spirits or dealcoholised wines sometimes require more explanation about how they are made, how to serve them or what to expect.
FranceAgriMer notes that taste, curiosity and a growing range are among the drivers of consumption. Beer combines these factors without completely breaking with established habits. The novelty lies in the alcohol content, not the entire ritual.
A well-known brand makes taking the first step easier
Familiarity is not just about the product; it also depends on the name on the label. The study published by Ipsos and IWSR in August 2026 indicates that 77% of global consumers surveyed are more likely to trust a new product launched by a brand they know. The report was commissioned by AB InBev —an important detail to keep in mind when interpreting this result.
This figure does not mean that 77% of French consumers would choose a major-brand 0.0 beer. Rather, it offers a clue: when faced with a relatively unfamiliar offering, the brand acts as a shortcut. The consumer may not know exactly how the dealcoholisation process was carried out, but they can anticipate the taste, price point, and availability.
Major brands also can afford to keep showing up: in supermarkets, in advertising, at sporting events, and in restaurants or bars. Through repeated exposure in these various settings, the 0.0 version feels less like a niche product and more like a standard variant. Familiarity makes it easier to try the first drink; the product must then win the consumer over on its own merits.
Supermarkets drive momentum for 0.0
The 2025 report from Brasseurs de France shows that non-alcoholic beer volumes grew by 11.5% year-on-year and now account for nearly 6% of total beer volume in supermarkets. In an overall beer market described as sluggish, the segment is a measurable source of growth.
The shelf placement matters almost as much as the product itself. The non-alcoholic version can sit near the original category, retain familiar formats, and be picked up during a shopping trip where it wasn't necessarily on the list. There is no need to step into a specialty shop or decipher an entirely new product category.
More brewers are making it, too. According to a brief survey conducted in January 2026 by Brasseurs de France, 40% of brewers surveyed already produce non-alcoholic beer—either regularly or occasionally—and 30% report having a project in the pipeline. The public report specifies neither the size nor the composition of the sample. These percentages therefore reflect the respondents, not necessarily all French breweries.
Bars offer a smaller range
Supermarket sales data alone cannot describe the place of 0.0 beer in bars and restaurants. Those settings need their own data.
A bar does not operate like a supermarket aisle. The menu lists fewer products, so each product needs to sell often enough, and the non-alcoholic option must be visible at the moment of ordering. A familiar brand can offer reassurance, but its beer still needs to be on the menu and clearly indicated.
At the bar, brand recognition isn't enough: availability is also essential.
"Non-alcoholic" does not always mean zero alcohol
In France, the decree on beer reserves the designation "alcohol-free beer" for products with an actual alcohol content of 1.2% ABV or less. A beer can therefore bear this designation without displaying 0.0%.
"No" and "Low" do not refer to a single universal category. In this FranceAgriMer survey, No is strictly below 0.5% ABV and Low runs from 0.5% to 8.5%. These are study definitions, not universal legal names. The authors explicitly note that their approach groups dealcoholised drinks with beverages that are naturally low in alcohol. IWSR uses its own analytical categories. To understand a No/Low alcohol percentage, you need its definition, the country covered and the sales channel.
For the buyer, the "0.0" label seems more immediately understandable, yet the bottle or can’s label remains the reference. Individuals who must strictly avoid alcohol for medical, religious, or personal reasons should check the declared alcohol content and, if necessary, consult a healthcare professional.
A genuine head start, but the outcome is far from certain
Available figures show that non-alcoholic beer is growing and already holds a measurable share of supermarket beer sales. However, they do not imply that all non-alcoholic beverages will follow the same trajectory, that "0.0" products will automatically replace alcoholic ones, or that non-alcoholic beer should be considered a health product.
Established brands are not guaranteed to maintain their lead indefinitely. Independent breweries are developing their own recipes, consumer tastes are evolving, and other categories are gaining visibility. For now, beer is primarily benefiting from groundwork that was already laid: the product concept is understood, brands are recognisable, shelf space is established, and consumption occasions are familiar.
Beer’s head start in alcohol-free alternatives owes much to what it did not have to reinvent: the ritual, the formats, the brands and a place on the shelves. The 2025 sales figures show that this advantage is already making itself felt in supermarkets. Studies of perception and trust help explain it without establishing a single cause.
What happens next will play out in everyday settings. When a 0.0 beer is as easy to spot and order at the bar as it is to put in a supermarket basket, its lead will rest on more than familiarity. It will be there, in the right place at the right time.