3 days ago
- Business
- Irish Independent
Guinness 0.0 hits milestone as more outlets opt for alcohol-free option
Guinness is reporting today that on-trade yearly volume sales of Guinness 0.0 draught grew 161pc between June 2022 and March 2025 – reflecting sales of cans, draught and micro-draught cans in pubs, hotels and restaurants.
Sales of Guinness 0.0 on draught have grown by 27pc in the last year, on top of 47pc growth of draught Guinness 0.0 in Ireland the previous year.
On-trade sales were up 35pc from March 2024 to March 2025. The capacity for further growth will increase significantly from next year, when a €30m investment in brewing capacity will lift production to 176 million pints of 0.0 per year for international and domestic markets – 12pc of the entire output at the famous St James's Gate brewery in Dublin.
In contrast, a report by Drinks Industry Group of Ireland (DIGI), a trade group, found the average amount of alcohol consumed by adults in Ireland had fallen by 31pc since 2001. A similar trend has been seen in other developed markets.
Last month Guinness's alcohol-free beer was centre stage at an investor day held by Diageo, where group CEO Deborah Crew pointed to its global potential based on the pace of its Irish rollout over the past four years.
Diageo is planning to accelerate sales of traditional Guinness and the non-alcoholic version around the world, targeting Gen Z and female drinkers among its key growth levers.
It's also planning to leverage sponsorship of sporting events such as the Premier League and a continued focus on the Six Nations rugby championship, where the non-alcoholic option has advantages over products that face restrictions in many advertising markets.
Even in the traditional Guinness heartland of rural Irish pubs, the beer is finding an audience, according to Cathal Sheridan, a seventh generation publican who operates Sheridan's Bar and Restaurant in Milltown, Co Galway. He cited demand from rural drinkers who need the option to drive home.
The on-trade commercial director at Diageo Ireland, Ross Bissett, said demand for non-alcoholic products has been seen across the board.
'The growth of Guinness 0.0 over the last three years demonstrates the enormous appetite consumers have for greater choice in what they are consuming, and highlights the vital role Guinness 0.0 is playing in driving moderation in Ireland,' he said.
