Why are non-alcoholic drinks so expensive?
Obviously you could just drink water.
Hello,
Sober October is in full swing and the business of sobriety continues to gain momentum. Both alcoholic Guinness and non-alcoholic Guinness are piled high at the supermarket checkout, giving you the illusion of making a worthy decision when really you are just deciding to buy Guinness.
One of the touted benefits of not drinking is that you save money, so many people are outraged to discover that a pint of non-alcoholic beer is basically the same price as the real thing. “Outrageous, it’s not even being taxed,” you say to your friends once you’ve finished discussing how great not drinking is, seven days into not drinking.
There are a couple of reasons that everything from pretend gin to blue beer (why is that the default colour?) is so expensive. There is an element of added cost to the makers. It requires different yeasts, a separate process and high-quality ingredients. No one wants to drink 0% Glens. People also drink less, it would be quite odd to have ten pints of non-alcoholic lager. In fact, it is quite odd to have ten pints of alcoholic lager but it remains a popular pastime nonetheless. Ultimately they can charge a similar amount - people will pay a premium because it feels like the ‘right’ decision.
I do wonder as I make my caffeine-free tea after having my alcohol-free Guinness whether there is a danger of living a fun-free life in the name of good health. I guess there’s a time and place for it (e.g. Tuesday evening when you’ve got to be up at the crack of dawn) but it’s all part of the human experience to have the odd massively uncalled-for espresso martini at 10 pm.
In vino veritas,
Hugo
Sommelier of Stuff
The Stuff
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Sam Bankman-Friend accused of ‘scoffing’ at ex’s testimony 🥴 - I thought scoffing was purely the preserve of Horrid Henry but no, SBF’s lawyer was asked to have a word with him after he made derisive noises during the trial. Bankman-Fried and Caroline Ellison presided over a heady mix of crypto options trading using client deposits, polygamy and amphetamines whilst running FTX and Alameda Research respectively.
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Until next week!
“Drink because you are happy, but never because you are miserable.” - G.K Chesterton