Impact of the „Better for You” trend on consumer behavior of 0% beers in Poland: analysis of preferences; motivations and marketing activities
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.15611/pn.2025.4.08Keywords:
consumer behaviour, product innovation, shopper marketing, non-alcoholic beer, consumer trendsAbstract
Aim: The aim of this article is to identify the motivations, barriers, and contexts of non-alcoholic beer consumption in Poland within the “Better for You” (BFY) trend and to show how producers’ marketing strategies (product innovation, shopper marketing, brand communication) illustrate the market’s response to consumer needs.
Methodology: The study is based on secondary data analysis (desk research), including consumer research (IQS, IPSOS), market reports (NielsenIQ, CMR, CSO), and case studies of leading non-alcoholic beer brands. The analysis is grounded in theoretical frameworks from marketing, consumer psychology, and sociology.
Results: The findings show that Polish consumers increasingly choose non-alcoholic beers for health and lifestyle reason rather than situational necessity (e.g. driving). Functional 0% beers—fortified with vitamins, electrolytes, or caffeine—are perceived as part of broader wellness routines. At the same time, the study highlights barriers such as sensory acceptance, lack of cultural tradition, and ambiguous marketing practices, which may slow further market growth.
Implications and recommendations: The results offer practical insights for FMCG producers and marketers, highlighting the need to further develop innovative 0% products, personalise communication across offline and digital channels. Strategic recommendations include a stronger focus on shopper marketing and the integration of CSR narratives into brand positioning.
Originality/value: This article is one of the first peer-reviewed studies of Polish non-alcoholic beer consumers. It contributes to the literature on health marketing and FMCG category management, combining the theoretical framework of the “Better for You” trend with an analysis of consumer behaviour.
Downloads
References
Anderson, P., Jané-Llopis, E., O'Donnell, A., Manthey, J. i Rehm, J. (2020). Impact of Low and No Alcohol Beers on Purchases of Alcohol: Interrupted Time Series Analysis of British Household Shopping Data, 2015-2018. BMJ Open, 10(10), e036371. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2019-036371
Anderson, P., O’Donnell, A., Kaner, E., Jané-Llopis, E., Manthey, J. i Jürgen, R. (2021). Impact of Minimum Unit Pricing on Alcohol Purchases in Scotland and Wales: Controlled Interrupted Time Series Analyses. The Lancet Public Health, 6(8), e557-e569. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2468-2667(21)00052-9
Blackwell, R. D., Miniard, P. W. i Engel, J. F. (2006). Consumer Behavior. Thomson.
Browary Polskie. (2022, 6 września). Raport „Rewolucja 0,0% na rynku piwowarskim”. Pobrano 15 czerwca 2025 z https://www.browary-polskie.pl/raport-rewolucja-00-na-rynku-piwowarskim/
Browary Polskie. (2025, 23 kwietnia). Raport o piwach bezalkoholowych: „Zerówki” zmieniają rynek piwa. Rewolucja 0,0% trwa”. Edycja 2025. Pobrano 15 czerwca 2025 z https://www.browary-polskie.pl/raport-o-piwach-bezalkoholowych-zerowki-zmieniaja-rynek-piwa-rewolucja-00-trwa-edycja-2025/
Critchlow, N., Holmes, J. i Fitzgerald, N. (2025). Alibi Marketing? Surrogate Marketing? Brand Sharing? What Is the Correct Terminology to Discuss Marketing for Alcohol-Free and Low-Alcohol Products Which Share Branding with Regular Strength Alcohol Products? Addiction, 120(1), 4-6. https://doi.org/10.1111/add.16504
Davies, E. L., Perman-Howe, P., Seddon, J., Piatkowski, T., Puljevic, C., Barratt, M. J., Winstock, A. R. i Ferris, J. A. (2025). Barriers to the Use of No and Low Alcohol Products in High-Risk Drinkers. Drug and Alcohol Review, 44(3). https://doi.org/10.1111/dar.14006
De-Loyde, K., Ferrar, J., Pilling, M. A., Hollands, G. J., Clarke, N., Matthews, J. A., Maynard, O. M., Wood, T., Heath, C., Munafò, M. R. i Attwood, A. S. (2024). The Impact of Introducing Alcohol-Free Beer Options in Bars and Public Houses on Alcohol Sales and Revenue: A Randomised Crossover Field Trial. Addiction, 119(6), 1071-1079. https://doi.org/10.1111/add.16449
Gostkowski, B. (2022, 4 lipca). Better For You, czyli jak jedzenie może łagodzić napięcia. Marketing Przy Kawie. Pobrano 15 czerwca 2025 z https://marketingprzykawie.pl/artykuly/better-for-you-czyli-jak-jedzenie-moze-lagodzic-napiecia/
Haynes, A., Denejkina, A., Sands, M., Wong, P., Talati, Z., Keric, D., Stafford, J., Sartori, A., Myers, G., Martin, J., McCausland, T., Wakefield, M. i Dixon, H. (2025). ‘You Can Sort of Justify Having That Drink’: Australian Young Adults' Perspectives on the Appeal and Influence of ‘Better for You’ Alcohol Products. Drug and Alcohol Review, 44(5), 1573-1580. https://doi.org/10.1111/dar.70001
IWSR. (2024). The Innovations Shaping Future Low-Alcohol Growth. Pobrano 15 czerwca 2025 z https://www.theiwsr.com/insight/the-innovations-shaping-future-low-alcohol-growth/
IWSR. (2025). Inside the IWSR Global Trends Report: Key Drivers for Beverage Alcohol in 2025. Pobrano 16 sierpnia 2025 z https://www.theiwsr.com/insight/inside-the-iwsr-global-trends-report-key-drivers-for-beverage-alcohol-in-2025/
Kale, D., Buss, V., Oldham, M., Brown, J., Shahab, L. i Jackson, S. (2025). Trends in Motives for Attempts to Reduce Alcohol Consumption among Risky Adult Drinkers in England: A Representative Population Survey, 2017-2024. Drug and Alcohol Dependence Reports, 15, 100340. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dadr.2025.100340
Kilian, C., Lemp, J. M., Llamosas-Falcón, L., Carr, T., Ye, Y., Kerr, W. C., Mulia, N., Puka, K., Lasserre, A. M., Bright, S., Rehm, J. i Probst, C. (2023). Reducing Alcohol Use through Alcohol Control Policies in the General Population and Population Subgroups: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. eClinicalMedicine, 59, 101996. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eclinm.2023.101996
Kotler, P., Kartajaya, H. i Setiawan, I. (2021). Marketing 5.0: Technology for Humanity. Wiley.
Kotler, P. i Keller, K. L. (2016). Marketing Management, (15th ed.). Pearson.
Mintel. (2025). Turning Today’s Signals into Tomorrow’s Strategies: 2026 Global Food & Drink Predictions. Pobrano 15 czerwca 2025 z https://www.mintel.com/insights/food-and-drink/global-food-and-drink-trends/?lang_notify=pl_PL
Myles, C. C., Vander Weil, B., Wiley, D. i Watson, B. (2022). Representations of Low(er) Alcohol (Craft) Beer in the United States. Nutrients, 14(23), 4952. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu14234952
Navarro, A., Peters, N., Paschkewitz, J., Taylor, L. i Sano, N. (2025, 13 maja). CPG Companies Need a New Recipe as Consumers Seek Healthier Choices. Boston Consulting Group. Pobrano 15 czerwca 2025 z https://www.bcg.com/publications/2025/cpg-companies-need-new-recipe-consumers-seek-healthier-choices
Nicholls, E. (2023). “I Don't Want to Introduce It into New Places in My Life”: The Marketing and Consumption of No and Low Alcohol Drinks. International Journal of Drug Policy, 119, 104149. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugpo.2023.104149
NielsenIQ. (2023). 2030 Glow Up: The Future of Clean Beauty. Pobrano 15 czerwca 2025 z https://nielseniq.com/global/en/insights/analysis/2021/2030-glow-up-the-future-of-clean-beauty/
Okaru, A. O. i Lachenmeier, D. W. (2022). Defining No and Low (NoLo) Alcohol Products. Nutrients, 14(18), 3873. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu14183873
Peeters, M., Ter Braak, J., Hagemeijer, F., Voogt, C., Kersbergen, I., Holmes, J., Fenton, L., Kurten, S., Groefsema, M. i de Looze, M. (2025). Exploring Adolescents’ Consumption of Alcohol-Free and Low-Alcohol Drinks: A Review of the Literature and a Drinking Profile Analysis. International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11469-025-01515-0
Piatkowski, T., Patel, M., Puljević, C., Davies, E. L., Barratt, M. J., Winstock, A. R. i Ferris, J. A. (2024). Why, Where, and with Whom? Understanding the set and setting influencing the consumption of NoLo beverages. Drugs: Education Prevention and Policy. https://doi.org/10.1080/09687637.2024.2376086
Piekara, A., Piestrak, A. i Noworolska-Maj, A. (2024). Non-Alcoholic Beer and Wine in Poland. W: M. A. Jarossova i P. Cervenka (red.), Významné aspekty udržateľného rozvoja III – zborník vedeckých statí (s. 75-81). Vydavateľstvo EKONÓM.
Pione, A., Medalsy, J., Weaver, K., Callaghan, S., Doner, H., Rickert, S. i Dahm, J.-M. (2025). The $2 Trillion Global Wellness Market Gets a Millennial and Gen Z Glow Up. McKinsey i Company. Pobrano 15 czerwca 2025 z https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/consumer-packaged-goods/our-insights/future-of-wellness-trends#/
Rehm, J., Rovira, P., Manthey, J. i Anderson, P. (2023). Reduction of Alcoholic Strength: Does It Matter for Public Health? Nutrients, 15(4), 910. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15040910
Solomon, M. R. (1998). Consumer Behavior: Buying, Having, and Being. Pearson.
Waehning, N. i Wells, V. K. (2024). Product, Individual and Environmental Factors Impacting the Consumption of No and Low Alcoholic Drinks: A Systematic Review and Future Research Agenda. Food Quality and Preference, 117, 105163. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodqual.2024.105163
Wansink, B. (2007). Mindless Eating: Why We Eat More Than We Think. Bantam.
Downloads
Published
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Artur Mazur
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Accepted 2025-09-10
Published 2026-01-12
