Meeting in the middle
As more consumers look to moderation, mid-strength drinks are on the rise in the UK, says Sarah Miller...
The rapid rise of the no/low market in the UK drinks industry over the last five years has been impossible to ignore. Sales of non-alc products are booming, with volumes predicted to grow at an annual rate of 7% to 8%, as headlines declare that weekly consumption of alcoholic drinks has hit the lowest figure since data collection began in 1990.
But the trend is actually about moderating, rather than abstaining. This summer, UK consumers are being told that the best way to moderate is by "coasting", or consuming mid-strength drinks throughout an occasion rather than last year's trend of "zebra striping", when you alternate alcoholic and non-alcoholic serves.
It may not sound that different, but it's the first time mid-strength drinks (with an ABV around half that of their full-strength alcoholic equivalents) have been part of the moderation conversation.
While no/low beers have been around since the '80s, their spirits equivalents are much newer.
2019 saw the launch of both Session Spirit (then called Trinity25), which is made with London Dry Gin and bottled at 25% to retain the mouthfeel and texture of the alcohol, and the first product from CleanCo: a botanical-infused spirit which launched with an ABV of 1.2% but is now 0.0%.
More no/low and mid-strength products came to market in the following years, and by 2023 the trend was well established, but as no/low products soared, mid-strength drinks floundered.
“But the trend is actually about moderating, rather than abstaining. ”
The biggest challenge facing producers of mid-strength drinks seems to be explaining what they actually are. Whereas low alcohol and alcohol-free products are self-explanatory (and legally defined as those with an ABV content not exceeding 1.2% and 0.05% respectively), mid-strength drinks have no such regulations and the ABV content varies depending on whether the term relates to a beer, wine or spirit.
Any product that falls below the minimum ABV stipulated for a legally defined drink cannot use the term in its name or marketing. For example, under EU law for a spirit to be called 'gin' it must be at least 37.5% ABV. However, brands such as Gordon's, Tanqueray and Beefeater are so synonymous with gin that consumers immediately understand their 0.0% offerings.
In an attempt to increase consumer understanding and drive growth, a dozen mid-strength drinks brands – including Decem, Quarter Proof and Hayman's who produce a range of spirits between 10 and 15% ABV – teamed up in 2025 to form the Mid-Strength Collective. And whether directly or indirectly, their combination of commissioned research and awareness campaigns, including a public march through London concluding at the UK's first Mid-Strength Bar outside the National Theatre, seems to be paying dividends.
This year the International Wine and Spirits Competition introduced a new mid-strength category to their No & Low Awards to reflect evolving consumer preferences and "increasing demand for products that offer flavour, complexity and balance at a lower alcohol level".
Meanwhile online supermarket Ocado has reported that sales of mid-strength drinks are up 74% over the last two years, retailer Marks & Spencer has grown its mid-strength offer across beer, wine and spirits by 25%, and Quarter Proof's mid-strength London Dry Spirit has secured a listing with Sainsbury's; the first time a brand in this category has secured physical shelf space in a supermarket.
While shoppers are likely to purchase mid-strength drinks in the same volume as their full-strength counterparts, there are also opportunities in the on-trade as consumers seek to moderate alcohol intake without compromising the social experience. According to KAM Insight, 50% of consumers would prefer two mid-strength drinks over one full-strength option when going out for 'just one', meaning that, given the right options, customers may stay longer and spend more in venues.
With the moderation trend set to continue across the beverage alcohol industry, and the IWSR reporting that the popularity of temporary abstinence of any length is stalling across all age groups (including Gen Z who have always been its most enthusiastic adopters), there is now a real opportunity for mid-strength drinks to take centre stage in both the off- and on-trade.
Sarah Miller is a UK-based spirits writer, judge and consultant.
ginadingding.com
