Alcohol-free beer more popular

This is up a ‘significant’ 10 percentage points on the previous survey, the researchers say.

Technological developments have improved the taste, it is more widely available and there is better advertising, says Cees-Jan Adema of the Dutch brewing association Nederlandse Brouwers.

Although most people opt for alcohol-free beer because they are driving or pregnant, the research shows 21% prefer it for the taste.

Some half of the survey’s respondents thought the Netherlands has fewer than 20 breweries. The actual total is 165.