A Woolworths shopper has exposed the little-known reality of non-alcoholic beer during a frustrating moment at the checkout
Hunter Roberts, who lives on Sydney’s Northern Beaches, was buying a $16 six-pack of Heaps Normal for Dry July, but was stunned when the self-checkout machine told her she needed to show her ID
You’d think that if the beverage doesn’t contain any alcohol, why would you need to prove you’re over 18?
Advertisement
Advertisement
“At first I thought it was a typical ‘item not bagged correctly’ notification,” she told Yahoo Lifestyle
“And then when I saw the screen actually said ‘requires age verification’, I thought ‘no way this has to be a p**stake.'”
Aussie who consumed 70 drinks per week reveals how she quit alcohol
Kmart launches new version of $7.50 cooking essential that overcomes major problem
The Reject Shop customers baffled by ‘exhausting’ new store feature as Dollarama transformation ramps up
But these products aren’t always completely free of alcohol
In Australia, beers have to have an alcohol content below 0.5 per cent alcohol to earn the non-alcoholic label
Advertisement
Advertisement
Heaps Normal has an alcohol content of 0.4 per cent
Do you have a story to share? Contactau.lifestyle.ent@yahooinc.com
While it’s a far cry from the 4-6 per cent that regular beers have, it’s still not nothing
So, even though non-alcoholic drinks are sold in supermarkets, instead of strictly bottle shops, you might have to be 18 to buy them
Woolworths introduced a rule in 2022 requiring all supermarkets to ask customers for ID when purchasing anything that “emulates traditional alcoholic beverages”
Aussie state and territory laws vary on the consumption of non-alcoholic drinks for people under 18
The Shout reported in 2022 that Liquor & Gaming NSW had “concerns” about any zero alcohol beer, wine or spirits “being marketed to minors”
Advertisement
Advertisement
But in the Northern Territory, there are no concerns about people under 18 consuming these drinks
Other states, such as Victoria, rely on retailers’ rules to monitor minors buying these drinks
So which beers are actually non-alcoholic?
Carlton Zero, Heineken Zero Great Northern Zero, Holsten, and Hollandia Non Alcoholic all have 0 per cent alcohol in their beverages
A CHOICE taste test rated the Carlton drop the best, as it was “mild”, “light”, “fruity” and “drinkable”, but it only notched a 52 per cent score
Want the latest lifestyle and entertainment news? Make sure to follow us onFacebook,Instagram,andTikTok
