Sales of alcohol-free beers, wines, and spirits have surged by 17% over the past year, according to figures from the research firm YouGov, which analysed household purchases and were cited in Le Soir on Tuesday.
YouGov compared purchases intended for home consumption over two extended periods, from April 2020 to March 2021 and from April 2024 to March 2025. The analysis revealed a substantial increase in sales, with a 34% rise in these products.
In the last year alone, this market segment has grown by 17%, with growth accelerating in the first quarter of 2025. Alcohol-free products now account for nearly 7% of the overall alcoholic beverage market, with 8.8% of beer purchases being non-alcoholic.
“We are buying fewer alcoholic beverages. This trend is strongly linked to demographic changes. Older families purchase more alcoholic drinks compared to younger ones. As older families are replaced by younger ones, the home alcohol market declines,” explains François Lambert, a consultant at YouGov.
Families under 30 generally purchase fewer alcoholic beverages and favour non-alcoholic wines, ciders, aperitifs, and spirits. Non-alcoholic beer is “particularly popular among older age groups,” observes François Lambert.
