0% and Low-Alcohol Drinks During Pregnancy

What UK Experts and Researchers Say

Pregnancy comes with a long list of things to rethink. And if you enjoyed a cold beer or a glass of wine at the end of a long day, it's only natural to wonder: what about the 0% version?

It's a question more women are asking than ever. The no and low-alcohol drinks market in the UK more than doubled in the past couple of years, according to drinks industry data firm IWSR  and with it, a growing need for clear, reliable information.

This post pulls together what UK health bodies, charities, researchers, and medical professionals currently say on the topic, so you can read the evidence in one place and have an informed conversation with your midwife or GP.

What the NHS Says

The NHS position is clear. Its official guidance states:

"The Chief Medical Officers for the UK recommend that if you are pregnant or planning to become pregnant, the safest approach is not to drink alcohol at all, to keep risks to your baby to a minimum."

When you drink alcohol, it passes through the placenta to your baby. Because a baby's liver is one of the last organs to fully develop, they are unable to process alcohol in the way an adult can. The NHS links alcohol in pregnancy to a range of serious risks, including:

• Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) a condition affecting learning, behaviour, speech, and physical development

• Increased risk of miscarriage and premature birth

• Low birth weight and developmental difficulties

• Behavioural and learning difficulties as the child grows

The NHS guidance does not currently make a specific statement distinguishing drinks labelled 0.0% ABV from those containing trace amounts, which is why many women find themselves searching for further clarity and why this conversation matters.

What Tommy's Says

Tommy's, one of the UK's leading pregnancy charities, offers practical, accessible guidance for expectant mothers. On the topic of non-alcoholic drinks, they note:

"Non-alcoholic drinks don't have to be boring. There are lots of drinks designed to replace alcoholic versions. Non-alcoholic wine, beer and cordials can be mixed with soft drinks to taste similar to drinks like gin and tonic."

Their wider guidance encourages women to explore alcohol-free alternatives while staying informed about what those labels actually mean and to lean on their support network, whether that's a partner, friends, family, or a midwife.

What UK Research Shows

University of Plymouth and Alcohol Change UK 

The most significant and up-to-date UK research on this topic comes from a peer-reviewed study conducted by the University of Plymouth on behalf of Alcohol Change UK, published in December 2025. It surveyed more than 2,000 currently or recently pregnant women, and its findings paint a clear picture of how women are navigating this space and where the guidance is falling short.

Key findings include:

• 71% of women had consumed an alcohol-free or low-alcohol drink during pregnancy

• Of those, 72% did so as a safer alternative to alcohol, and 69% said it helped them feel included in social events

• 78% felt drinks clearly labelled 0% or alcohol-free were 'very acceptable' during pregnancy

• For low-alcohol drinks between 0.5–1.2% ABV, that figure dropped sharply to just 11%

• 55% of women received no information about no/lo drinks from their midwife, GP, or pregnancy organisation

• 57% felt there was insufficient information available about these drinks in relation to pregnancy

• The most common source of information was internet search (22%), followed by advertising (14%) and social media (13%) — with fewer than 1 in 10 hearing anything from their midwife

Dr Kate Maslin, Senior Research Fellow in Maternal and Child Health at the University of Plymouth and project lead, said:

"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."

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

"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. Expectant parents would really benefit from clear advice from trusted professionals on when and how to use these drinks."

The study made four key recommendations:

1. Clarity on the safety and suitability of alcohol-free and low-alcohol drinks during pregnancy, specifically those in the 0.05–1.2% ABV category

2. Improved labelling to clearly distinguish low-alcohol drinks from alcohol-free ones

3. Clear guidelines for healthcare professionals so they can give consistent advice

4. Integration of no- and low-alcohol guidance into existing pregnancy and breastfeeding advice

Understanding the Labels:

A significant source of confusion, highlighted repeatedly in the research, is that the terms used on packaging don't always mean what people assume. Under current UK regulations:

As Wise Bartender, a UK-based alcohol-free drinks retailer, explains:

"In the UK, alcohol-free means drinks below 0.05% ABV and 'low-alcohol' means drinks below 1.2% ABV. But in many countries, including all those in the EU, drinks that contain 0.5% alcohol or less are considered to be alcohol-free."

It's also worth noting that the UK Government's 10-Year Health Plan includes plans to consult on raising the threshold at which a drink may be described as alcohol-free from 0.05% to 0.5% ABV. This potential change is one reason experts are calling for consistent, clear information to be provided to pregnant women now.

Why Women Are Turning to No/Lo Drinks

The research makes clear this isn't just about taste. For many pregnant women, no- and low-alcohol drinks serve an important social function allowing them to feel included at events, to hold a drink that doesn't signal their pregnancy before they're ready to share the news, and to enjoy something that feels like more than a soft drink.

As the University of Plymouth study found, these drinks are particularly popular among women who drank more regularly before pregnancy, with 91% of that group consuming them at some point while pregnant.

Understanding why women are reaching for these drinks  safety, inclusion, normalcy is as important as understanding what's in them.

The consistent message from UK health bodies, pregnancy charities, and researchers is that no amount of alcohol is considered safe during pregnancy, and that the safest approach is to avoid it entirely.

For women who want to enjoy a drink that looks and feels like the real thing, drinks clearly labelled 0.0% ABV offer the closest thing to a definitive answer — they contain no detectable alcohol. For anything above that, the guidance from experts is to check the label carefully and speak to your midwife or GP.

What is clear from the research is that many women are making these decisions without adequate support from healthcare professionals — and that needs to change. If you have questions about specific drinks during your pregnancy, your midwife or GP is always the best first port of call.

Further Reading and Resources

• NHS — nhs.uk/pregnancy

• Tommy's — tommys.org — including their full guide: Tips for an Alcohol-Free Pregnancy

• Alcohol Change UK — alcoholchange.org.uk

• University of Plymouth / Alcohol Change UK Study — Alcohol-free drinks popular during pregnancy but new research shows guidelines are lacking (December 2025)

• The Independent — More pregnant women turning to low-alcohol drinks, study reveals (December 2025)

• Wise Bartender — wisebartender.co.uk — Can You Drink Non-Alcoholic Beer When Pregnant?

• FASD UK Alliance — fasdalliance.com

 

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This article is a content curation piece drawing on publicly available guidance from UK health bodies, charities, researchers, and specialist publications. It is intended for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult your midwife, GP, or a qualified healthcare professional with any questions specific to your pregnancy.