Can you drink alcohol-free beer when pregnant?
By Alex Stewart · Updated
What the NHS and RCOG say
The NHS says not to drink alcohol if you are pregnant or trying to be, because alcohol passes through the placenta and the baby cannot process it. The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists says there is no proven safe amount. The NHS also says that if you drank before you knew you were pregnant, the risk is likely to be low and you should not worry unnecessarily.
Read the ABV, not the word
UK labelling guidance is voluntary: "alcohol free" should mean 0.05% or less, "de-alcoholised" 0.5% or less. Many beers sold as alcohol-free are 0.5%, so check the number on the can.
| Beer | ABV | kcal per 100ml | Sugar per 100ml |
|---|---|---|---|
| Guinness 0.0 | 0.0% | 17 | 0.7g |
| Days Lager | 0.0% | 10 | <0.5g |
| Heineken 0.0 | 0.0% | 21 | 1.3g |
| Lucky Saint | 0.5% | 16 | 0.1g |
| IMPOSSIBREW Lager | 0.5% | 17 | 0.7g |
If you want a 0.0% beer
Guinness 0.0, Days Lager and Heineken 0.0 are all labelled 0.0%. IMPOSSIBREW beers are 0.5% and contain ashwagandha, so we do not suggest them during pregnancy.
FAQ
Is 0.0% beer safe in pregnancy?
UK bodies do not give 0.0% beer a safe rating; they advise no alcohol at all. 0.0% beers contain effectively none, so if you choose one, check the label says 0.0% and ask your midwife.
Is 0.5% beer OK when pregnant?
Drinkaware does not recommend low or alcohol-free drinks in pregnancy because most still contain some alcohol. 0.5% beer contains a little.
Which alcohol-free beers are 0.0%?
Guinness 0.0, Days Lager and Heineken 0.0.
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Check availabilityMore from Zero Alcohol Beer
- The full ranking: Best Zero Alcohol Beer in the UK: 10 Ranked for 2026
- 0.0% vs 0.5% beer: what the labels mean
- The best 0.0% beer in the UK
- Days Lager vs Heineken 0.0
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Sources
- NHS: drinking alcohol while pregnant
- RCOG: alcohol and pregnancy
- UK Chief Medical Officers: low risk drinking guidelines
- Drinkaware: alcohol-free and low alcohol drinks
- GOV.UK: low alcohol descriptors (PDF)
- Days Lager
- Guinness 0.0
- Heineken 0.0
- IMPOSSIBREW Enhanced Lager
- Lucky Saint Unfiltered Lager
- Guinness: calories in each Guinness beer
- Heineken 0.0: nutrition per 100ml
- Lucky Saint Unfiltered Lager: nutrition and ingredients
- Days Brewing FAQ: gluten
- Guinness 0.0 label (Carlsberg Sverige)
- UK government: low-alcohol descriptors guidance
- Trustpilot UK: IMPOSSIBREW profile
- London Beer Competition 2022: IMPOSSIBREW Lager, Gold, 91 points
- UK Fast Growth Index 2026: IMPOSSIBREW
Labels read 7 and 8 November 2026. The can is always the final word.
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Want the longer read? IMPOSSIBREW's own guide: Best zero alcohol beer.