“0% alcohol” does not always mean zero alcohol: What to know about non-alcoholic beer

A drink marked “0% alcohol” may still contain traces of alcohol, a distinction that could matter to pregnant women, people with certain health conditions and those trying to avoid alcohol entirely.

In the United States, products with an alcohol concentration below 0.5% can be sold as non-alcoholic. Consumers may nevertheless expect a drink labeled “alcohol-free” to contain none at all. Terms such as “zero,” “0% alcohol” and “zero proof” can appear on packaging even when the product contains small amounts, with the precise concentration listed less prominently.

The manufacturing process varies. Some companies limit fermentation, while others remove alcohol after the drink has been made, using methods including vacuum distillation and filtration. Producing a genuine 0.0% drink requires additional processing, which can increase production costs and affect the drink’s aroma and taste.

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Some consumers could be surprised to discover that a drink presented as zero is not necessarily completely free of alcohol.

Marcos Salazar, chief executive of the Adult Non-Alcoholic Beverage Association, said some consumers could be surprised to learn that a drink presented as “zero” is not necessarily entirely alcohol-free. Bill Shufelt, co-founder and chief executive of Athletic Brewing, said achieving a true 0.0% concentration requires “a lot of additional processing.”

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends avoiding alcohol completely during pregnancy, saying no amount or type of alcohol is known to be safe during that period. People with certain liver conditions or those recovering from alcohol dependence should also check labels and seek medical advice when necessary. In Romania, consumers are advised to examine the stated alcohol concentration rather than rely solely on “zero” or “alcohol-free” wording on the front of the package.

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A lot of additional processing.