People choosing alcohol-free or low-alcohol beer over the regular kind are paying a premium for it, according to new research from the University of Sheffield’s Addictions Research Group.
The study found that although no/lo drinks are cheaper unit-for-unit than their full-strength equivalents, shoppers see much smaller savings than they might expect, largely down to pack size. No/lo beers came in 19% cheaper than standard beer on average, and no/lo ciders 27% cheaper — but because 53% of standard beers are sold in multipacks of eight or more, while no/lo beers are consistently sold in smaller packs, buyers of regular beer can save around 30% by purchasing in bulk, compared with just 12% for no/lo beer.
For no/lo cider specifically, the same dynamic means prices end up roughly level with standard cider rather than genuinely cheaper. The researchers also found that 49 of the 52 products they examined were cheaper than the standard-strength version of the same brand, and that many of the best-selling no/lo beers are marketed as premium products rather than as no/lo versions of popular cheaper brands — a positioning that may be adding to the price gap.
Published in the journal Addiction and funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research, the study stops short of concluding that cutting no/lo prices would actually reduce how much people drink overall.
Crisis-level alcohol-related harms
Dr Abigail Stevely, Research Fellow at the University of Sheffield’s Addictions Research Group and the study’s lead author, said: “Consumers are saving less money when they buy no/lo beer instead of standard strength beer, This may mean people are less likely to switch to these healthier products. However, it is important to remember that the most effective way of tackling the UK’s crisis-level alcohol-related harms would be increasing the price of cheap alcohol, and limiting the marketing and availability of alcohol.”
Professor John Holmes, Professor of Alcohol Policy at the same research group and a co-author, said: “We know people on low incomes suffer more harm from alcohol. High prices for no/lo drinks may mean the group that would benefit most is least able to afford them.”
The findings build on earlier work from the same group showing the no/lo market had more than doubled in sales value since 2020, reaching £362 million by 2023, with that 2025 report also finding that people who drink at “risky” levels are more likely to buy no/lo products.
Professor Adam Briggs, Programme Director for the NIHR’s Public Health Research Programme, said: “The findings identified by the study team illustrate how the no/lo alcohol market is evolving over time. Alcohol remains a leading cause of preventable poor health and premature death, and studies like this are key to providing the evidence needed to shape future alcohol policy and support the government’s shift from sickness to prevention.”
