From niche to mainstream, the “No-Lo” movement advances. Slow Food dedicates a book to it

From niche consumption to mainstream trend: the world of “No-Lo” beverages is increasingly vast and varied, and the consumption of alcohol-free products - from wine to spirits, including kombucha - is spreading across generations. Further confirmation that this is no longer a marginal phenomenon, but a well-established trend that needs to be studied carefully in order to understand its socio-cultural causes and economic implications, is the publication by Slow Food - which has always made wine one of the cornerstones of its editorial catalog and whose guide is one of the reference publications for the sector - of the book “Il piacere senza alcol” (Pleasure without alcohol), written by Nicole Klauss.
The book provides a comprehensive overview of the world of non-alcoholic beverages, rich in nuances and products: in addition to the so-called “proxies”, reinterpretations of wines that focus on aromatic complexity and food pairings, there are kombucha and kefir, fermented beverages that combine freshness and vitality with interesting probiotic benefits. Alongside them, teas and herbal teas offer elegance and depth, with bouquets ranging from floral to toasted. There is no shortage of fruit juices and nectars, often made by small farms that are attentive to the quality of their raw materials. Non-alcoholic spirits are also in the spotlight, distilled from herbs and spices to create refined alcohol-free cocktails. Each of these categories has its own identity and a different way of understanding conviviality and the pleasure of drinking.
After all, more and more people are choosing to reduce, if not eliminate, their alcohol consumption for various reasons, a trend that has also been picked up by celebrities - most recently singer Robbie Williams - who are investing in various types of beverages, all strictly alcohol-free. In Italy, thanks to a recent decree by Minister of Agriculture Francesco Lollobrigida, it is now possible to produce alcohol-free wines, while investments in innovative technologies are growing worldwide.