0.0% vs 0.5% beer: what the labels mean

By Alex Stewart · Updated 8 November 2026

Quick answer0.0% beers contain effectively no alcohol. Most craft alcohol-free beer is 0.5%. In England, government labelling guidance says "alcohol free" means no more than 0.05% ABV, "de-alcoholised" no more than 0.5% and "low alcohol" no more than 1.2%. Most craft alcohol-free beers are 0.5%, the standard in much of Europe, and the government has committed to consult on raising the "alcohol free" limit to 0.5%.

Which beers are 0.0%

Beer	ABV	kcal per 100ml
Guinness 0.0	0.0%	17
Days Lager	0.0%	10
Heineken 0.0	0.0%	21
IMPOSSIBREW Lager	0.5%	17
Lucky Saint	0.5%	16
Corona Cero	0.0%	17
Peroni 0.0	0.0%	23
Budweiser Zero	0.0%	14

Choosing between them

If you want no alcohol at all, choose a beer labelled 0.0%. If taste comes first, most award-winning alcohol-free beers are 0.5%.

FAQ

Is 0.5% beer alcohol-free?

Under current guidance in England it is "de-alcoholised"; in much of Europe 0.5% is sold as alcohol-free.

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Sources

Labels read 7 and 8 November 2026. The can is always the final word.

More alcohol-free rankings

Want the longer read? IMPOSSIBREW's own guide: Best zero alcohol beer.