The popularity of low-alcohol and alcohol-free beer variants is fast replacing regular strength beer as consumers adopt a healthier lifestyle, says a report by Canadean.

Titled ‘Germany Beer Market Insights Report 2016’, the report highlights that healthier variants were the main drivers of beer consumption in 2015, with Western Europe witnessing an annual growth rate of 1% in low-alcohol beer volumes. The alcohol-free beer segment, which grew by 7% in 2015, is the fastest growing by alcohol strength in the last seven years.

"Consumers are becoming increasingly aware of their alcohol intake."

The success of low and non-alcoholic beer has been the highest in Germany, and accounted for more than half of the consumption in this segment. The low-alcohol and alcohol-free beer volumes grew by 3% in West Europe in 2015, while Germany alone reported a growth of 5% as a result of the availability of many popular brands in the country.

Germany’s domestic industry has taken advantage of the growing consumer preference for healthier variants by introducing new products in this segment, such as Erdinger Alkoholfrei (Erdinger), which had the highest alcohol-free volumes, and Oettinger Radler (Oettinger Bier Brauhaus), the top-seller in the low-alcohol category.

Beverage Analyst for Canadean, Andrew Curran, explains: “Consumers are becoming increasingly aware of their alcohol intake and see low-alcohol and alcohol-free variants as a healthier alternative, while still allowing for participation in traditional cultural events.”

Rising popularity of low-alcohol and alcohol-free variants is also attributed to legal and economic factors. To control drunken driving incidents, more Western European countries are introducing stringent rules and regulations, leading to consumers to opt for either low-alcohol or alcohol-free variants. The pricing of these variants is also more favourable making them a preferred choice for consumers seeking value for money.