Catríona Redmond: Alcohol-free drink offerings need to improve

Is there a non-drinker tax?

Caitríona Redmond: "There’s no excise duty on non-alcoholic drinks so you'd feel they should be a little bit cheaper right?"

Nearly three years ago now I stopped drinking alcohol. It wasn’t a big epiphany moment. I didn’t make any announcements... I just decided to stop.

I hadn’t had a problem drinking habit — in fact I didn’t drink all that much anyway. I just noticed that I didn’t like the way drinking made me feel the following day.

There were mornings where I felt despondently low and the trigger was having had a drink or two the night before.

It was a simple fix. I could still enjoy a night out with friends and family, just without alcohol.

Music festivals and concerts take on greater meaning for me without additional lubrication.

I immerse myself fully in the music and admit to being a little more than smug when people are suffering the following day.

However, there is a major problem with giving up alcohol... and that’s the alternative options typically available in hospitality establishments.

A friend recently described attending an event where, upon learning that she was ‘the driver’, she was handed a glass of MiWadi and that was her drink for the evening. 

Other guests enjoyed a wide variety of alcoholic drinks, but she had a tumbler of squash.

I don’t mind paying a fair price for a well-made and thoughtful alcohol-free cocktail or drink.

My problem stems from the poor offerings in pubs and restaurants nationwide. A list of fizzy drinks by the can or bottle is lacklustre by the time the second round of drinks comes around.

I don’t know many people who would happily sit in the pub and drink five or six cans of Club Orange for the night.

I’m not a fan of ‘mocktails’ and their names such as a ‘Shirley Temple’ which was originally concocted for the child movie star herself.

She frequently attended meals and parties from a young age, and the drink was designed to make her look like all the other stars in the pictures.

She reportedly detested the drink and thought it far too sweet.

An individual can of Club Orange in my local Tesco costs €1.70, including the mandatory drinks deposit scheme charge of 15c.

Tesco is a giant retailer, and it wouldn’t sell the can at that price without making a profit.

And there’s savings to be made by buying a larger pack size from Tesco too.

For example, an 18-pack is on special right now for €16.36 which is the equivalent of around 91c per can (both prices include the deposit return scheme charge).

If I bought that same size can of Club Orange in a large pub in Dublin’s city centre, I’d be charged €4.95.

You can be guaranteed that the pub is buying its tins of minerals below the lower retail price of 91c a can.

It is paying less than 91c per can and buying its trays from the wholesaler which would be cheaper again.

Caitríona Redmond: "As people start to drink less and explore more alcohol-free options then the range available and the cost should theoretically start to even out."

Don’t forget that most businesses are set up to make money for their owners and/or shareholders.

There’s nothing wrong with making a profit but, yes, sometimes consumers can confuse this vital part of running a business with price gouging.

All of this adds up to a generous margin of at least €4 per soft drink sold.

This of course goes towards paying for staff, rent, light, heat, insurance, and everything else besides.

Rents in Dublin are notoriously high, and the publican must make enough margin to cover all their overheads and still come home with a profit.

Never mind rent, the cost of running a hospitality business is through the roof the past couple of years, evidenced by the mounting list of closed restaurants and cafés nationwide.

Still, there’s no excise duty on non-alcoholic drinks so you’d feel they should be a little bit cheaper, right?

That depends, because big drinks brands benefit from economies of scale.

It’s potentially cheaper to make a massive batch of gin, for example, than it is to make a botanical alcohol-free drink.

When it comes to wine, which is fully fermented as normal and then dealcoholised to reduce the alcohol content to lower than 0.5%, that’s an additional cost on top of making wine which must be passed on to the consumer.

With less demand that cost is spread over smaller batches and the price can be higher than a conventional bottle.

As people start to drink less and explore more alcohol-free options, the range available and the cost should theoretically start to even out.

Still, I can’t shake the feeling that I am being hard done by as I survey a list of soft drinks that are less than inspiring.

It’s not all bad news though, there are some fantastic drinks that I will actively seek out.

Hytropics — created by two Irish pilots and tastes like a margarita and is incredible with ice.

The Irish Hedgerow refresher range makes use of elderflower cordials — these are the sober version of a G&T.

SynerChi kombucha drinks from the Gaeltacht in Gweedore are bursting with flavour and are low in sugar.

Finally, a little further afield, the Living Things range is wonderfully bright and easy to drink.

Caitríona Redmond: "There is a major problem with giving up alcohol... and that’s the alternative options typically available in hospitality establishments."

REDMOND RECOMMENDS:

The Designated Driver offer is in its 21st year — designated drivers can qualify for up to two free soft drinks or water from Coca-Cola Ireland all through December.

You inform the barman that you’re the designated driver on arrival to claim your free drinks. 

To find your nearest participating bar and the terms and conditions, visit the Coca-Cola website or install the app on your phone.

However, it’s not an automatic entitlement and is limited to participating pubs across the country.

Coverage seems to be patchy. For example none of the five pubs in my hometown are participating.