Confusion over Alcohol Levels in Non-Alcoholic Beer: What You Need to Know

• Tessa Neilland

  domestic editor

If you want to buy a non-alcoholic drink in the supermarket or pub, you have plenty to choose from. But not all bottles of beer or wine sold as non-alcoholic contain alcohol. If you look at the label, you will often see that it contains a small amount of alcohol. This is allowed according to European guidelines, but this is confusing for trade associations for Dutch brewers.

In the Netherlands, beer can be called non-alcoholic if it contains up to 0.1 percent alcohol, and for wine this is 0.5 percent. Above that, up to 1.2 percent, it is called low alcohol.

But different rules apply in the rest of Europe. In Germany and Belgium, drinks can be called without alcohol with a percentage of up to 0.5, in Spain up to 1 percent and in Italy and France even up to 1.2 percent. These products are also sold in the Netherlands, which means that there is ‘alcohol-free’ beer in supermarkets with more than one percent alcohol in it.

In addition, the rule applies throughout Europe to those who drink with an alcohol content of up to 0.5 percent non-alcoholic can be called. There are Dutch brewers who choose that English term on the label of beers with 0.4 percent, because the Dutch ‘non-alcoholic’ is not allowed. Then you drink a ‘non-alcoholic’ beer that is not ‘alcohol-free’.

“False,” says Anne Lutgerink of the Nutrition Center. “It’s very strange, especially for people who don’t want to drink alcohol. You’re making a special recommendation and it’s not right, that’s confusing.”

Trade associations for brewers in the Netherlands don’t find it misleading, but they understand it is confusing. “Everything is allowed and the brewers follow the rules, but it’s not clear to the consumer,” said president Jos Oostendorp of Craft, a trade association of 200 small breweries beer “There are people who don’t really want to drink a drop, because they are allergic to alcohol or for other reasons. Everyone is interested in knowing what it is.”

Director Meint Waterlander of Nederlandse Brouwers, which represents thirteen breweries, agrees. “It would be good for the consumer if there was more unity in the labels.”

To create more unity, discussions are being held with other brewers’ associations in Europe, says Oostendorp. “This topic is also on the agenda. It cannot be arranged overnight.” According to him, the beer country of Germany is not keen on introducing tougher or different rules for its brewers. “But I expect it will make a difference in the long run.”

The associations are also committed to clearer European rules, because the rules are now unfair, says Oostendorp. “Beers from abroad are allowed to be on the shelves in the Netherlands with labels that are not allowed in the Netherlands. That is unfair competition.”

In response to questions from NOS, the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport will ask the Dutch Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA) to look at terms such as non-alcoholic on Dutch goods. The NVWA assesses whether labels are misleading. Depending on how often this happens, the ministry can assess whether (and how) something should be done.

Because there are no rules for foreign language terms yet. As long as the label also states in Dutch the amount of alcohol in a ‘non-alcoholic’ drink, it is allowed.

“An amount of alcohol up to 0.5 percent can be caused by residual traces of fermentation of natural sugars. For example, orange juice or baked bread can contain up to 0.2 percent alcohol,” said a ministry spokesman . “If you are not allowed or do not want to drink alcohol, look at the alcohol percentage and choose another option that says 0.0. This way you can be sure that there is no alcohol.”