Heineken has announced that its draught zero-alcohol beer will be available in 3,000 Irish venues by the end of the year, strengthening its dominance in the Republic's non-alcoholic drinks market. The Dutch multinational drinks company has invested approximately €30 million in its Heineken 0.0 brand since its Irish launch in 2018, securing a 48 percent share of the non-alcoholic market, according to data insights company CGA/Nielsen. 'When we launched Heineken 0.
0 percent in 2018, we effectively created the modern non-alcoholic beer category in Ireland, offering a top-quality product that consumers wanted to purchase,' said Fiona Curtin, managing director at Heineken Ireland, headquartered in Cork. 'Six years on, Heineken 0.0 percent remains the leader in the non-alcohol market, with a 48 percent total market share, and we intend to continue investing in 0.0 percent to grow the distribution and reach of the brand in order to offer consumers real choice and to further promote responsible consumption.' Alcohol-free beer sales accounted for about 2 percent of the total beer market in the Republic last year, according to research from Ibec group Drinks Ireland. However, Ms. Curtin stated that the non-alcoholic beer market in Ireland remains 'underdeveloped' compared to other European countries like Spain, where it represents 14 percent of total beer sales. 'Even with the stellar growth that has been seen in Ireland, there remains huge scope for significant expansion of the 0.0 sector in the years ahead,' she said.