The stats from Nielsen IQ show that non-alcohol beer, wine and spirits passed $1bn in off-premise channels in 2025. And what’s more, they grew at a hearty 22%.
And that’s just in retail: non-alcohol products are also making their way in to the on-trade.
NIQ’s data reveals more insights into the non-alcohol category - and the consumers it’s attracting.
Most important is that many non-alcohol consumers also purchase alcohol: showing the category is not about abstinence but about moderation.
In fact, 92% of non-alcohol buyers also purchase alcoholic beer, wine and spirits.
And that puts a different spin on thing. Rather than thinking about non-alcohol as a competitor to alcohol, it’s about thinking how the category can add more value to total alcohol.
Top alcohol-free categories
Non-alcohol products currently account for 0.8% of total alcohol. That means they’re still a niche segment in the alcohol industry, but they’re growing fast.
There are many reasons for this. Consumers are moderating their alcohol intake around health and wellness concerns. But cannabis and GLP-1 drugs have also knocked alcohol consumption, opening up opportunities for other drinks.
Moderation is a ‘structural shift’, says Kaleigh Theriault, beverage alcohol thought leadership at NIQ. But even within beer, wine and spirits, the dynamics are different.
“Non-alcoholic beer makes up around 80% of sales of all non-alcohol, and it’s the most mature category,” she said.
“And alcohol-free beer has done a good job of mastering the brews, and really taking off in those moments where somebody might be choosing not to drink alcohol or thinking about moderation with zebra striping.”
Then there’s non-alcoholic wine and non-alcoholic spirits, which have been slower to take off but still hold potential to tap into this market.
Non-alcohol wine accounts for around 23% of the market (up 23%) whereas non-alcohol spirits are still only at around 6% (but showing fast growth at around 70%).
But the most promising of all might be canned cocktails. Whereas it might be difficult for consumers to comprehend the non-alcoholic spirits proposition (many consumers are still baffled by the high price tag for a non-alcoholic product), they’re much more open to mocktails.
“Over the past year or so we’ve seen non-alcoholic canned cocktails really elevating the experience,” said Theriault.
“And they’re something that people understand: like a spritz in a can or a ‘phony Negroni’.
“So there’s a lot of brands finding success there, and that’s where we’re seeing a lot of the industry innovation and new launches.”
And non-alcoholic cocktails will be particularly important as non-alc makes in-roads into the on-premise.
Dry January, Sober October
NIQ data shows there's still a spike in non-alc sales in January.
But that's being evened out over the year by campaigns such as Dry July and Sober October.
And each entire year sees an increase in overall sales.
"January is always strong because of Dry January and wellness-focused resets," confirms Hannah Delaney, president of non-alc retailer Boisson.
"But what’s interesting is that the category is no longer just seasonal. We’re seeing more consistent year-round demand, which shows that moderation and mindful drinking are becoming lifestyle choices, not just resolutions."
Innovation: keeping it interesting
Innovation, to date, has largely meant creating successful, quality products for the non-alcohol shelf.
But now innovation is going much further beyond that. And as a young category, the non-alcohol segment is particularly active.
Not only is there innovation with the key non-alc beer, wine and spirits categories: but innovation is now blurring the lines between categories.
There are sparkling waters and sodas looking to become part of the alcohol-free occasion: not least with cocktail (or mocktail) flavours.
And then there are functional beverages: those which draw on unique flavour profiles (such as kombucha) or functional benefits (such as gut health) or mood enhancing drinks to help people relax and unwind.
Innovation can span from line extensions - such as new convenient formats or intriguing flavours - to completely new products. But it will be crucial for the category’s fortune, said Theriault.
“Innovation is key to long-term success,” she said. “And that’s going to be really important with these non-alcoholic consumers because there are so many new options and the consumer is always looking for the next bright, shiny object. So brands that are innovating are going to continue to bring those consumers back.”
