USA: Number of non-alcoholic beer drinkers up more than 8 times since 2020, report finds

The number of non-alcoholic beer drinkers in the US has increased more than 8x since 2020, with millennial Dads in the Northeast driving the trend, a new report from international market research firm YouGov finds.

YouGov’s “US Non-Alcoholic Beer Report 2023” details who’s drinking non-alcoholic beer, how they spend their time, their diet and fitness habits, and the beer brands they like most.

The report shows that weekly non-alcoholic beer drinkers surged from 0.6% of the US adult population in 2020, to 5.2% in 2023. More than four in five (81%) non-alcoholic beer drinkers are under the age of 44, and 64% are men. More than half (53%) are parents, compared to just 29% of regular beer drinkers.

Drawing on consumer survey data from YouGov Profiles, the report also finds that:

• 65% of non-alcoholic beer drinkers have more than $1,000 in monthly household disposable (vs 45% of beer drinkers)
• Nearly three-quarters of non-alcoholic beer drinkers (72%) work out more than once a week (vs. 50% of beer drinkers)
• 49% of non-alcoholic beer drinkers describe themselves as meat-eaters or flexitarians (vs 74% of beer drinkers)
• 23% of non-alcoholic beer drinkers live in the Northeast (vs 18% of beer drinkers)
• 42% of non-alcoholic beer drinkers watch competitive video gaming (vs 17% of beer drinkers)
• 42% of non-alcoholic beer drinkers check social media 6+ times a day (vs 32% of beer drinkers)
• 76% of non-alcoholic beer drinkers listen to podcasts weekly (vs 38% of beer drinkers)

“Americans who drink non-alcoholic beer aren’t necessarily rejecting alcohol outright, but they may be supplementing their regular beer consumption,” said Kenton Barello, VP at YouGov America. “Our data shows that younger Americans are behind this rapid shift in consumer behavior. Brewers who want to thrive in the next few decades need to understand the nuances of this consumer group to evolve their marketing for this rapidly growing market.”

The report also provides a ranking of the alcoholic beer brands that have the best impression with non-alcoholic beer drinkers, led by Heineken, Corona, Samuel Adams, Guinness, and Budweiser. All five have non-alcoholic beers on the market, with Corona being the most recent entrant.

09 May, 2023