Minors And Non-Alcoholic Beer: Legal Purchase?

Non-alcoholic beer is a great alternative to regular beer, but can minors buy it? In the United States, federal regulations classify beer as non-alcoholic when it has an ABV of 0.5% or less. However, laws vary by state, and some states have stricter laws. For example, in New York, Tennessee, Georgia, and Idaho, any amount of alcohol in a beverage classifies it as alcoholic. In contrast, Kentucky and Vermont allow non-alcoholic beers to have up to 1.0% ABV. In Texas, Minnesota, Wisconsin, New Jersey, Illinois, Washington D.C., Alaska, and Hawaii, minors can buy and consume non-alcoholic beer without restriction. In the United Kingdom, drinks with less than 0.5% ABV are not legally considered alcohol and can be purchased by minors. While non-alcoholic beers have a very low alcohol content, some retailers may still restrict their sale to minors to avoid promoting alcohol to children and to simplify enforcement of alcohol-related laws.

Minors and NA beer in the UK

In the UK, NA beer, or non-alcoholic beer, is considered to be any beer with less than 0.5% alcohol by volume (ABV). While there is no legal drinking age for NA beer in the UK, minors may still find themselves unable to purchase it. This is because NA beer is still treated the same as alcoholic beer by many retailers and pubs.

UK Drinking Laws

In the UK, it is illegal for someone under the age of 18 to buy or try to buy alcohol, and for an adult to buy or try to buy alcohol for someone under 18. It is also illegal for those under 18 to drink alcohol in licensed premises, such as a pub or restaurant. However, 16 and 17-year-olds can drink (but not buy) beer, wine, or cider with a meal in a licensed premises if they are accompanied by an adult.

NA Beer and Minors

While NA beer is not subject to the same restrictions as alcoholic drinks in the UK, many retailers and pubs treat it the same as regular beer. This is for two main reasons: to avoid promoting alcohol to children, and to make it easier to enforce rules regarding alcoholic drinks.

Retailers and Pubs

Many major UK supermarkets, including Tesco, Waitrose, and Asda, enforce the Challenge 25 rule and require ID for NA beer purchases. This is because they believe it is unethical to allow minors to purchase any alcohol-related product. It may also be due to the policies of the alcohol producers they sell for. For example, AB InBev, the company behind Budweiser, Stella Artois, Corona, and Beck's, has its own Responsible Marketing and Communications Code, which prohibits the sale of non-alcoholic beers to minors.

Some pubs and restaurants may also prohibit the sale of NA beer to minors. For example, the UK pub company Wetherspoon does not sell NA beer to minors because "it can be difficult for staff to distinguish between customers who are drinking alcohol and those drinking non-alcohol products."

The Future of NA Beer and Minors

While there is currently no legal drinking age for NA beer in the UK, this may change in the future. As NA beer becomes more popular, we may see legislation introduced to restrict its sale to minors, as we have seen with e-cigarettes.

Minors and NA beer in the US

In the US, federal regulations dictate that beer is considered non-alcoholic if its ABV (alcohol by volume) is 0.5% or less. However, the laws regarding the sale of NA beer to minors vary from state to state. While some states treat NA beer the same as regular beer, others allow its sale to minors due to its low alcohol content.

State-by-State Variations

In states like New York, Tennessee, Georgia, and Idaho, any amount of alcohol in a beverage classifies it as alcoholic, so their alcohol laws also apply to NA beer. On the other hand, states like Texas, Minnesota, Wisconsin, New Jersey, Illinois, Washington D.C., Alaska, and Hawaii do not require individuals to be 21 to buy or consume NA beer.

Retailer Policies

Even in states where it is legal to sell NA beer to minors, individual retailers may have their own policies prohibiting such sales. For example, some retailers like Safeway in the US will ask for ID before selling NA beer, while others may not have such restrictions.

Reasons for Restrictions

Despite the low alcohol content, many retailers treat NA beer the same as regular beer to avoid promoting alcohol to minors and to make it easier to enforce rules regarding alcoholic drinks. The packaging and appearance of NA beer are often similar to alcoholic beer, and in some cases, the same companies produce both. Therefore, allowing minors to purchase NA beer could indirectly promote alcoholic beverages to them.

Health Considerations

While NA beer is not inherently harmful due to its low alcohol content, it is generally recommended that children and adolescents refrain from consuming any alcohol. Alcohol can have negative effects on the developing brains of adolescents, and it is best to prevent minors from developing unhealthy drinking habits.

Why NA beer is treated like alcoholic beer

Non-alcoholic beer is often treated like alcoholic beer because, despite having little to no alcohol content, it looks and tastes similar to regular beer. This similarity in appearance and flavour can trigger cravings and a subsequent relapse among those with alcohol use disorder. In fact, the smell of beer alone may be enough to trigger cravings.

In addition, non-alcoholic beer may still contain small amounts of alcohol. By law, non-alcoholic beers can have as much as 0.5% alcohol by volume (ABV). Research suggests that many non-alcoholic beers contain more alcohol than their labels indicate. One older study found that 29% of no- or low-alcohol beers tested had higher alcohol levels than the labels suggested. Of the zero-alcohol beers sampled, six were found to have alcohol levels higher than one per cent.

Because of the small amounts of alcohol that non-alcoholic beers may contain, they pose a risk if consumed during pregnancy. According to the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ACOG), pregnant individuals should avoid drinking any alcohol during pregnancy to avoid the risk of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD). Alcohol use during pregnancy is one of the leading causes of birth defects, which may include low body weight, facial abnormalities, physical problems, and neurobehavioral disorders.

In the United States, beverages containing less than 0.5% ABV are legally called non-alcoholic. Because of its very low alcohol content, non-alcoholic beer may be legally sold to people under the age of 21 in many American states. However, some states, such as Pennsylvania, prohibit the sale of non-alcoholic beers to persons under the age of 21.

In the United Kingdom, there is no age restriction on the purchase of non-alcoholic beer. No alcohol or alcohol-free drinks are defined as those containing not more than 0.05% ABV.

State-specific NA beer laws in the US

The laws surrounding the purchase of non-alcoholic beer by minors vary from state to state in the US. While the federal government classifies non-alcoholic beer as a cereal beverage as long as it contains no more than 0.5% ABV, some states have laws that are more or less stringent.

In Kentucky and Vermont, non-alcoholic beer may contain up to 1.0% ABV, which is twice the federal limit.

Kansas has some of the more confusing liquor laws in the US. A malt beverage that contains more than 3.2% ABV is considered an "alcoholic liquor", while a malt beverage containing 3.2% ABV or less is regarded as a "cereal malt beverage". Minors are permitted to consume "3.2 beer" under parent supervision, but the sale of it to minors is prohibited.

In New York, Tennessee, Georgia, and Idaho, any beer that contains any amount of alcohol is regarded as an alcoholic beverage, and alcohol laws in these states apply to non-alcoholic beer.

In Ohio (for those over 18), Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, West Virginia, and Wyoming, minors are permitted to drink non-alcoholic beer under parental supervision.

In Oregon (for 0.5% ABV and above) and West Virginia and Wyoming (for 0.5% and above), minors cannot purchase non-alcoholic beer.

In Alabama, non-alcoholic beer sales are not regulated in wet counties, but "sale" is prohibited in dry counties.

Federal law

The Twenty-first Amendment to the United States Constitution grants each state and territory the power to regulate intoxicating liquors within their jurisdiction. As such, laws pertaining to the production, sale, distribution, and consumption of alcohol vary significantly across the country.

NA beer and driving

Non-alcoholic (NA) beer is a great option for those who want to drive but still enjoy the taste of beer. While NA beers are technically allowed to have up to 0.5% ABV, this is a negligible amount that won't get you drunk or impair your ability to drive. In fact, you would need to drink about 20 NA beers to get the same blood alcohol concentration (BAC) as you would from drinking one regular beer.

In some places, NA beer is subject to the same restrictions as regular beer, and you may be asked for ID when purchasing it. This is to avoid promoting alcohol use among minors and to make alcohol-related laws easier to enforce. However, the laws regarding the sale of NA beer to minors vary depending on the country and state. For example, in the UK, NA beer can be purchased by anyone, while in the US, some states require the purchaser to be 21, and others don't restrict NA beer sales to minors.

While NA beer is generally safe for driving, it's important to be aware of mood-enhancing NA beers, which are designed to make you feel relaxed and enhance your mood. While these beers are not alcoholic, they may still affect your ability to drive, so it's best to err on the side of caution and not drink too much if you plan on getting behind the wheel.

Overall, NA beer is a great option for those who want to enjoy the taste of beer without the effects of alcohol, especially if you need to drive. Just be sure to check your local laws to understand the restrictions on NA beer sales to minors in your area.

Frequently asked questions