Alcohol-free alternatives: figures & trends

More and more people are open to non-alcoholic alternatives, because the need to cut down on alcohol is increasing. The market is responding to this and the non-alcoholic alternatives are popping up like mushrooms. We update you.

First some numbers: in 2021 'only' 32% of people felt the need to cut down on their alcohol consumption. In 2022, this percentage increased to a majority of 55%. So not drinking alcohol is becoming more and more normal. It is therefore very logical for the majority of the population that you take an alcohol break.

0.0 yes or no?

Because a sober lifestyle is appreciated by many people, the alcohol-free alternatives are now too numerous. Supermarkets are full of them. Non-alcoholic beers are in great demand and even non-alcoholic wines are getting better and better. But for those who know us a little: we make a comment about drinking 'zero point zeros'.

We recommend that you do not drink anything at all that can be associated with alcohol. An alcohol-free beer is almost indistinguishable from the real thing, that's why. An alcohol-free drink makes the step to real alcohol smaller. Of course you can (fortunately!) know what you drink. And if a 0.0 beer or non-alcoholic wine takes the edge off, who are we to forbid you to do so. But know that there is a risk involved.

The trends

Well, as far as we are concerned, no zero-point zeros, but so what?

New are the organic ginger syrups with which you can make a variety of non-alcoholic drinks. Bee GIMBER you will find a lot of recipes that use ginger syrup.

Exciting spice combinations. It's not just ginger syrups that spring up like mushrooms. There is an entire market devoted to putting together the perfect herbal combination. We recently ran the flavors of sipsnsoda against the body. Maybe something for you?

Bubble Tea. This drink came over from Asia. It has now become a national drink in Taiwan and Bubble Tea is also being sold in more and more places in the Netherlands. Young people especially love it. It is a combination of tea, milk, fruit syrup and tapioca balls. The tapioca balls - also called pearls - have a somewhat chewy structure and are available in all kinds of flavors and colors. Source: nu.nl

Sparkling tea. Also known as sparkling tea or an urban bubble. Sparkling tea is made from a well-thought-out selection of high-quality teas, combined with herbs or fruits. Various sparkling teas are ideally suited to drink with carefully chosen dishes. The food pairing trend, bringing surprising flavors together, is a trend that is reaching more and more restaurants.

Kombucha. This alternative has been around longer than today, but is being embraced by more and more people. And that is not surprising because this basically fermented tea is low in sugar, very tasty and a real thirst quencher. Kombucha is a source of antioxidants, healthy bacteria, enzymes and vitamins that can support the functioning of your body.

Craft soda. Forget soda. It's soda that hits the clock. Tasty sodas. Sodas are on trend, especially the version without sugars. Think of small-scale sodas, organic sodas and sodas in the most fruity or spicy flavors. You drink them as they are or you mix them with another drink.