BY EMMANUEL OGBONNA
In a country where wine has long been woven into daily life and social ritual, choosing not to drink alcohol can still feel like swimming against the current. Justine Bobin knows that experience well.
A French teetotaler and practicing Muslim, Bobin says abstaining from alcohol in France often prompts raised eyebrows and awkward questions. “People are convinced that you can’t have fun if you don’t drink alcohol in France,” she said, describing a cultural assumption that conviviality and wine go hand in hand.
That perception, however, is being tested by a growing wave of zero- and low-alcohol beverages that are reshaping shelves, trade fairs and, increasingly, social habits. Bobin traveled to Paris this week to attend Wine Paris, one of the wine and spirits industry’s largest international trade shows, to explore the expanding range of non-alcoholic options now entering the market.
Inside the exhibition halls, bottles of de-alcoholized reds, whites, rosés and sparkling wines from across Europe, as well as South Africa, Australia and New Zealand, were displayed alongside traditional vintages and premium spirits. Producers of so-called “no/low” drinks promoted their products with slogans such as “no alcohol, no regrets, no consequences” and “drink different,” signaling a deliberate effort to align with shifting consumer attitudes.
The rise of the sector reflects broader global changes. In the United States, surveys show a declining share of adults reporting alcohol consumption. In Europe and other major markets, younger consumers in particular are moderating their intake, driven by health concerns, lifestyle choices and greater awareness of alcohol’s long-term effects.
Even in France, historically one of the world’s most wine-saturated societies, drinking patterns have changed dramatically over the past half-century. The once-common habit of consuming wine with most meals has diminished, and younger generations are generally drinking less — and differently — than their parents and grandparents.
The economic implications are significant. The French government has introduced measures to reduce wine overproduction, including offering financial incentives to vintners willing to uproot vineyards that produce varieties no longer in strong demand. Meanwhile, major beverage companies are recalibrating. Dutch brewing giant Heineken announced this week it plans to cut up to 6,000 jobs globally by 2028 following a drop in beer sales last year. Yet the company reported double-digit growth in its portfolio of zero- and low-alcohol drinks in 18 markets, underscoring where executives see momentum.
For Bobin, the appeal of alcohol-free alternatives is not merely commercial but social. She operates a delicatessen in Burgundy, one of France’s most storied wine regions, and is considering stocking a curated selection of non-alcoholic beverages. At the Paris trade show, she sampled a range of products designed to mimic the complexity and structure of traditional wines without the alcohol content.
“It allows us to share a moment with people even without drinking alcohol,” she said. “They can drink if they want, but we can still share a drink and toast together.”
She sees such products as tools of inclusion — a way to bridge divides between those who drink and those who abstain for religious, health or personal reasons. “It offers an alternative for everyone and brings people together,” she said. “It’s more of a product for inclusion, I think, for people who don’t drink alcohol, and that’s great.”
Producers say demand is being driven by consumers who want the sensory experience of wine or beer without the physical aftereffects. Katja Bernegger, an Austrian entrepreneur who makes alcohol-free wines with her winemaker partner, said the movement is more than a passing trend.
“People are more mindful of their body,” Bernegger said. “If you drink today, you probably have a headache tomorrow, and they don’t want it because you need to function. You have kids, you have a job.”
Her entry into the sector was personal. While pregnant, she stopped drinking alcohol but found herself missing the flavors and rituals associated with wine. At social gatherings, she said, holding a glass of juice or soda often felt isolating.
“You are standing there with your orange juice or Coke. You are out of it. You have to explain why you don’t drink,” she said. “So you are simply having just half of the fun in life.”
That experience convinced her there was room in the market for more refined non-alcoholic options — beverages that offer complexity, aroma and mouthfeel comparable to traditional wines, allowing abstainers to participate fully in shared rituals.
Industry analysts note that advances in de-alcoholization technology have improved the quality of no-alcohol wines, reducing the sweetness and flatness that once characterized early attempts. Producers are experimenting with grape varieties, fermentation techniques and blending methods to preserve structure and balance after alcohol removal.
Still, challenges remain. In France, wine is not only an agricultural product but a symbol of heritage and identity. Convincing traditional consumers to embrace alcohol-free alternatives may prove difficult. Yet the presence of no/low beverages at major trade fairs suggests the industry is taking the shift seriously.
As changing demographics, health consciousness and evolving social norms continue to reshape drinking habits, the question is no longer whether alcohol-free products have a place in the market, but how large that place will become.
For Bobin, the answer lies in simple human connection. “We just want to be part of the moment,” she said. In a country famed for its wine, a new kind of toast may be gaining ground — one that prioritizes inclusion and moderation over tradition alone.
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