The British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) has warned that overly strict UK regulations are stopping pubs and brewers from fully capitalising on booming demand for alcohol-free beer. The trade body wants the government to relax the legal threshold for a beer to be labelled "alcohol free", arguing that the current rule is holding back investment and choice in one of the industry's fastest-growing categories.

More than 64 million pints of low- and no-alcohol beer are forecast to be sold this summer, up 8 million on 2025, with volumes in the "nolo" category having grown 870% since 2013, driven by younger drinkers moderating consumption and recent heatwaves boosting demand. The UK currently defines alcohol-free beer as containing 0.05% ABV or less, ten times stricter than the 0.5% threshold used in many other countries, and brewers such as Lucky Saint's Luke Boase and BBPA chief executive Emma McClarkin say aligning the UK with the higher international standard would encourage investment and give consumers more options.