With demand for no and low alcohol booze continuing to soar, the drinks market is now getting behind the latest trend for moderators, mid-strength wine.

In the last year, UK demand for these wines - which have a typical strength of between five to nine per cent ABV - has soared by nearly 100 per cent, according to retail analysts Nielsen (25 Feb 2025).

The market is still very much in its infancy but last year Tesco launched five mid-strength wines on the back of two record-breaking years for no and low alcohol across the board. Since then, the supermarket has seen demand grow on a monthly basis and it is now considering widening the range as more shoppers get to hear about the availability of these wines.

Tesco wine buyer Steve Garwood said:

“Mid-strength wine as a category only really started less than two years ago in the UK so these are still very early days but all the signs are that it’s set to become the next big trend in alcohol moderation."

“Health and well being have become far more pronounced in the food and drink industry in the last five years and we are definitely seeing that with the continuous strong demand for no and low alcohol, especially within wine."

“Moderation does not have to mean total abstinence but with the arrival of mid-strength wines it offers drinkers more control over their alcohol intake.”

According to a new retail report called The Mid Strength Opportunity*, the main takeouts in researching the burgeoning market were:

• Fifty per cent of consumers would rather have two mid-strength drinks than one strong one if they were “just going to the pub for one”.

  
  

• Thirteen per cent of consumers are already ‘coasting’ or drinking mid-strength drinks for the entirety of their social occasion in order last the occasion

  
  

Julian Dyer, Chief Operating Officer for McGuigan Wines UK & Europe said:

“Consumers are increasingly seeking lighter drinking experiences for reasons of health, responsibility, or personal control. But they don’t want to compromise on taste, and they want a drink that still makes a social or home occasion special."

“Mid-strength wine addresses that consumer need without compromising on taste or quality. Moderation is increasingly prevalent, with 50 per cent of consumers favouring two mid-strength drinks over one full-strength, enabling them to enjoy meaningful moments for longer.”