South Korea: Non-alcoholic and low-calory liquor gaining popularity in Korea

Liquor with non-alcoholic and low calories is gaining huge popularity. Even with similar experiences, the "Helsifle Leisure" trend, which cares about health, has deeply permeated the drinking culture, Mk.co.kr reported on August 19.

The beer industry is expanding related products, believing that products that have significantly lowered alcohol content or calories will continue to increase market share in the future. Euromonitor, a market research company, announced on the 19th that the domestic non-alcoholic beer market, which was only KRW 1.3 billion in 2012, recorded KRW 41.5 billion in 2021. It is expected to reach 70 billion won this year and is expected to surpass 100 billion won by 2027.

Under the current law, if the alcohol content is less than 1 degree, it can be marked as non-alcoholic or non-alcoholic. If there is no alcohol at all, it is called non-alcohol, and if it is included in a very small amount, it is called non-alcohol The market is expected to grow even larger when low-dose beer, which is made softer than existing alcoholic beverages, is included.

A few years ago, the perception that non-alcoholic beer is less flavorful was not noticed. This is because of the conventional wisdom that 'if you're not going to get drunk anyway, you're compatible with the drink.' However, after the COVID-19 pandemic, the health leisure craze has spread, and liquor companies are strengthening the quality of non-alcoholic and low-water beer, increasing their sales.

According to a survey by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), Korea's annual alcohol consumption of people aged 15 and over was 7.7 liters last year, gradually decreasing from the previous one. After peaking at 16.8ℓ in 1973, it gradually decreased and fell to the 7ℓ range (7.9ℓ) in 2020. This means that society as a whole drinks less than in the past.

The government's easing of restrictions in May to allow non-alcoholic beer to be delivered to restaurants also added to the low-income trend. Liquor wholesalers who buy alcohol from liquor companies and supply it to restaurants have been able to distribute only alcoholic beverages containing more than 1% of alcohol. By eliminating this standard, restaurants can now drink non-alcoholic beverages if they want. An industry official said, "We cannot increase the number of non-alcoholic products immediately because the amount of alcohol we will have in the restaurant is limited, but it will be different in the future because the regulatory obstacles have disappeared."

Obi Beer is leading this trend the most in Korea. In 2019, there was only one low-water beer, "Cas Light," but it has now increased to six. I also added non-alcoholic beverages such as "Michelop Ultra", "Cas 0.0," "Hogarden Zero," "Hogarden 0.0 Rose," "Budweiser Zero," and "Cas Lemon Squeeze 0.0." Thanks to this, OB Beer's non-alcoholic product line sales grew 9.8% year-on-year last year. Tsingtao also increased its product line to "Tsingtao Non-Alcolyc Lemon" after "Tsingtao Non-Alcolyc Lemon." Hite Jinro is the No. 1 non-alcoholic beer market with "Hite 0.00" released for the first time in Korea in 2012. It sold 138.5 million cans cumulatively until the end of last year.

Hite Jinro is cruising by selling 10 million bottles in two weeks after launching "Terra Light," which lowers its frequency to 4 degrees and reduces calories by a third early last month. It's like 8.2 bottles were sold per second.

An official from the liquor industry said, "The entire industry predicts that everyday alcoholic beverages such as beer and soju will gradually decrease in frequency," adding, "We are not just lowering the alcohol level, but trying to lower calories while maintaining the flavor."

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