Alcohol-free drinks popular during pregnancy – but new research shows guidelines are lacking

With Christmas party season upon us, research prompts call for improved guidelines and clarity on the safety and suitability of alcohol alternatives
Pregnant woman shopping in supermarket

Alcohol-free drinks popular during pregnancy – but new research shows guidelines are lacking

With Christmas party season upon us, research prompts call for improved guidelines and clarity on the safety and suitability of alcohol alternatives
  • New research shows 71% of women report consuming alcohol-free and/or low-alcohol drinks during pregnancy
  • As 6 in 10 say advice about these alternatives is lacking, many turn to the internet and social media for information
  • Experts say clarity on advice is vital, as the Government set to consult on changing the upper strength ‘alcohol free’ threshold to 0.5% ABV in-line with international standards

New research reveals that more than 7 in 10 (71%) women have consumed alcohol-free or low-alcohol drinks during pregnancy, signalling their growing popularity among expectant mothers seeking safer alternatives to alcohol. 
Despite widespread use during pregnancy and continued growth of the no- and low-alcohol drinks market – such as alcohol-free or low-alcohol beers, wines and spirits – the findings highlight that many women feel there is a lack of guidance from healthcare professionals about these alternatives, prompting calls for clearer information and support. 
The World Health Organisation advises there is no known safe level of alcohol consumption during pregnancy. Yet, with the UK Government’s 10-Year Health Plan including plans to consult on changing the upper strength threshold at which a drink may be described as alcohol free (from 0.05% currently to 0.5% ABV), experts are even keener to ensure consistent information is provided.  
The first-of-its-kind peer-reviewed study, conducted by the 91porn on behalf of Alcohol Change UK, explored how more than 2,000 currently or recently pregnant women think and feel about alcohol-free and low-alcohol drinks, as well as how regularly, if at all, they are consumed during pregnancy and why.

The report highlights four key recommendations: 

  1. Clarity – is needed on the safety and suitability of alcohol-free and low-alcohol drinks during pregnancy. Specifically, clarity is needed on those in the 0.05-1.2% ABV category as there are greater concerns expressed about the threshold levels.
  2. Labelling – of low-alcohol drinks should be improved, so that they are clearly distinguishable from alcohol-free drinks.
  3. Clear guidelines for professionals – about alcohol-free and low-alcohol drinks during pregnancy and breastfeeding are needed for health care professionals so that consistent advice can be provided. 
  4. Ensuring no- and low-alcohol is part of pre-existing advice for pregnancy and beyond – organisations that provide advice to pregnant and breastfeeding women about alcohol, should also include specific advice about low-alcohol and alcohol-free drinks.

Safety, socialising and stealth – why women opt for alcohol alternatives during pregnancy

Among those who report consuming alcohol-free and low-alcohol drinks during pregnancy, the leading motivation is safety, with almost three quarters (72%) keen ‘to choose a safer alternative to alcohol’. This is followed by 69% saying these drinks help them to ‘feel included in social events involving alcohol’ and 45% because they like the taste. 
Notably, these alternatives are more popular among women reporting higher levels of alcohol consumption pre-pregnancy, with 9 in 10 (91%) using them at some point while pregnant. This group is also more likely to report that these drinks help them to conceal a pregnancy in the early stages, due to their similar appearance to alcoholic drinks. 
One study participant said:
“In those first 12 weeks before anyone knew, non-alcoholic drinks were definitely the way to go. It was like trying to be quite sneaky about it.”
Drinking glasses

Widely used but confused

Although the use of alcohol-free and low-alcohol options during pregnancy is commonplace, almost 6 in 10 respondents (57%) think that there is insufficient information available about these drinks in relation to pregnancy. 
More than half of women surveyed (55%) said they did not receive any information about these drinks from sources including a midwife, GP or pregnancy organisation. Internet search was the leading source of information (22%), followed by advertising (14%) and social media (13%), while fewer than 1 in 10 (8%) received information from their midwife. 
More than three quarters feel that drinks clearly labelled 0% or alcohol-free are ‘very acceptable’ during pregnancy (78%) and when breastfeeding (80%). Yet, for low-alcohol drinks between 0.5-1.2% ABV, the proportion of those deeming them ‘very acceptable’ drops to just 11% during pregnancy and 40% when breastfeeding. Follow-up interviews reaffirmed these concerns and confusion over the ABV content, safety and labelling of low-alcohol options. 

Alcohol-free drinks have clearly found favour among pregnant and recently pregnant women as they look to make safer choices when socialising during pregnancy.

Yet, what really shone through, both in the data and when speaking with individuals to explore their experiences and attitudes further, was a feeling that information about the safety and suitability of these alternatives, particularly from healthcare and pregnancy professionals, has not kept pace. 
The World Health Organisation advises there is no known safe level of alcohol consumption during pregnancy, however with the growing popularity of these no- and low- drinks, there is a reliance on internet searching and social media for guidance on their use during pregnancy, both of which can contain misinformation or conflicting information. 
Alongside further research into the safety and suitability of alcohol-free and low-alcohol drinks during pregnancy, it’s important that those engaging with and supporting pregnant women are equipped to give clear, consistent advice.

Kate MaslinDr Kate Maslin
Senior Research Fellow in Maternal and Child Health, and project lead

Alcohol Change UK commissioned the study in response to continued growth of the UK’s no- and low-alcohol drinks sector. According to drinks industry data firm , the total UK market was expected to have more than doubled in 2024 vs 2023. 

Many people try to avoid alcohol when pregnant, and the growing number of alcohol-free and low-alcohol beers, wines and cocktails offers a way to do that while still enjoying what feels like a ‘grown up’ drink.

What this research has found, however, is that there is a lot of uncertainty and a lot of guesswork going on, particularly with drinks that aren’t completely alcohol-free.
This sector of the drinks market seems set to keep on growing, and expectant parents would really benefit from clear advice from trusted professionals on when and how to use these drinks.

Ailar Hashemzadeh, Director of Research and Public Affairs at Alcohol Change UK

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Ultrasound scanner in the hands of a doctor. Diagnostics. Sonography. Image courtesy of Shutterstock.

Study BSc (Hons) Midwifery