Alcohol-Free Drinks: Balancing Public Health Gains and Marketing Risks
As alcohol-free and low-alcohol drinks surge in popularity, a new policy debate emerges: Can these beverages enhance public health without becoming a marketing loophole?
Sales of alcohol-free and low-alcohol drinks have increased substantially, with 1.4% of total alcohol sales in Britain from such products, primarily sharing branding with alcoholic variants.
The 2024 Olympics named Corona Cero (an alcohol-free variant) as its official global beer sponsor, enabling the brand to appear in contexts previously restricted to alcohol.
John Holmes and colleagues said:
"Although we argue for a public health response to nolo drinks, we are not suggesting a reduced focus on preventing harm from consumption of standard alcoholic drinks. Nor are we seeking to exaggerate the degree of risk that nolo drinks present."
Experts warn against market-led solutions, emphasizing the need for policies to prevent marketing to children, protect alcohol-free spaces, and use taxes to incentivize lower-alcohol consumption. No independent expert critique was included in the source.
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