Nonalcoholic beer sales up as Phoenix embraces Dry January
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January is getting drier every year. And February may not be far behind.
State of play: Sales of nonalcoholic beer in Arizona during the first four weeks of the year have increased more than 260% since 2020.
- People in the Phoenix area bought nearly $878,000 worth of booze-free suds this year, about 2.6 times what we bought in January 2020: $336,000.
The big picture: Nonalcoholic beer sales in the Valley mirror a national trend that has seen the popularity of "Dry January" surge in recent years.
- Nationally, sales more than tripled from $13.5 million in January 2020 to $42.7 million this year.
Why it matters: This year, huge interest in the annual booze-free challenge Dry January marked a change in the way American adults think about alcohol.
By the numbers: Although alcoholic beer sales are fairly flat, nonalcoholic beer sales are on the rise in the U.S., according to NIQ, which tracks buying behavior.
- A major nonalcoholic beer brand driving the trend: Athletic Brewing Company.
- Whole Foods Market now sells more nonalcoholic Athletic beer than any other brand of beer, with or without alcohol, The Wall Street Journal reports.
- Meanwhile, only 62% of adults under 35 say they drink, down from 72% two decades ago, according to the latest Gallup data.
Zoom in: The search term "Dry February" is being Googled more than ever in the U.S., with search interest this month 30% higher than last February, according to Google Trends' Katie Seaton.
- And search interest in "Dry January" has increased every January since 2014.
Yes, but: Sophisticated zero-proof beverages can actually be more costly than alcoholic drinks.
- For example, some alcohol-free wine involves the same grape fermentation process as traditional wine, plus an additional process: dealcoholization.