Open petition: Classify beverages at or below 0.5% ABV as alcohol free

Created by Ben Gibbs
Closes on 3 March 2027

Change the law so any drink at 0.5% ABV or below can be labelled “alcohol-free”. At 0.05%, the UK’s limit is the strictest in the world. The Government has consulted twice and committed to it. Stop consulting and act.

For context: a ripe banana or a bread roll can hold as much alcohol as a 0.5% beer, yet the beer can’t call itself alcohol-free. We are concerned that the world’s strictest 0.05% limit is easy for big brands with big budgets to hit and market, but a costly barrier for small independent brewers. It also fuels the myth that a 0.5% beer is much like a real pint, when the amount is negligible. We think that aligning with the 0.5% international standard would mean honest, consistent labelling people can actually trust.

Sign this petition