M&S expands new low-alcohol range in time for Sober October as more than a third of adults say they have cut down on alcohol

The expanded selection of delicious low-alcohol drinks has been specifically designed to offer the same great flavour as the regular versions while keeping alcohol content in check.

The 25-strong line-up now includes low-alcohol alternatives to M&S’s much-loved cocktail tinnies, alongside lagers and ales, top-quality sparkling teas, and even a hopped tropical sour kombucha.

Taking over 12 months for M&S experts to develop to get the flavours just right, the game-changing range promises unrivalled quality and value for money compared to other non-alcoholic drinks currently on the market.

For example, the new 0.5 per cent ABV spirits are distilled in proper copper stills (i.e. not just flavoured water!) and are also used as the base for the low-alcohol cocktail tinnies.

Recent research conducted by M&S revealed that over a third of Brits say they have consciously reduced their alcohol intake since the start of 2023, supported by the fact that sales of non-alcoholic drinks tripled in ‘Dry July’ compared to the previous 12 months.

The increasing demand for great-tasting booze-free options comes as a quarter of respondents said they have purchased a no- or low-alcohol alternative before, though four in five claimed they would be open to buying one in the future.

The majority said this would tend to be on an occasion when they were driving or consciously trying to make healthier choices, though more than quarter also said they would do so just to try something new or a bit different.

Bryony Wilkinson, Buyer for no- & low-alcohol drinks at M&S, said: “Whether you’re someone who doesn’t drink or is simply cutting down on alcohol at the moment, it should be easy in this day and age to find no- or low-alcohol versions of all your favourite drinks in your local store.

"That’s why we’ve added a whole raft of new options this month to our already popular range, from top-quality low-ABV spirits to seasonal must-haves like mulled wine and Bucks fizz. Importantly we’ve spent the last 12 months making sure these drinks are the very best they can be but still at incredible value – now that’s something I’ll raise a glass of our 0.5 per cent Fresh & Bubbly fizz to!”

Discover the newly expanded low-alcohol range in your nearest M&S Foodhall and on Ocado now.