Drink Less, Taste More

At the start of the Change4Life campaign, which warns drinkers that consuming even slightly over the lower-risk alcohol guidelines can seriously impact long-term health, it is good news that supermarkets are reporting a huge increase in the sale of lower alcohol beer.

The TV ad, shown for the first time last night, highlights the risks of regularly drinking more than 2 large glasses of wine or 2 strong pints of beer a day, warning that this triples the risk of developing mouth cancer and doubles the risk of developing high blood pressure.

And it would appear that the public is already getting the message, as sales of low-alcohol beers have risen by 40 per cent across the country in the last year. The beer is also cheaper than its higher strength rivals, as the Chancellor cut duty on beer with an ABV of 2.8 per cent or less by fifty pence a pint in October.

Molson Coors, Diageo and Carlsberg all produce low alcohol beers and are putting paid to the belief that low-alcohol means thin and tasteless. Commenting on the new range of beers, Jon Howard of the Campaign for Real Ale said:

"Brewers have already proven in a short time that it is possible to brew a low-strength beer packed with flavour and aroma. Furthermore, our research on the subject last year showed how one in every two regular pub goers would like to see more pubs serving such a beer."

He went on to say that the lower rate of duty on low-strength beers was "a win-win scenario" for the industry and government. "We hope to see more of these low-ABV thirst-quenchers unveiled by brewers in the near future," Howard added.