Page 2 | Do you think it’s a problem to drink an alcohol free beer or wine in work?

Isitaproblemyes · 2025-01-30T19:27:29+00:00

We had this discussion today in the office and most people think it’s unacceptable despite the fact the drink is completely alcohol free. What do you think?

Justnippinginthegaragelove · 30/01/2025 20:33

I take it none of you work in recruitment?
The companies I worked for all had a beer/wine fridge. Anytime after 4pm was acceptable 😬

LostittoBostik · 30/01/2025 20:35

Iamblossom · 30/01/2025 19:34

A friend's daughter reported her school bus driver for drinking an alcohol free beer whilst driving them to school. He got fired.

On what grounds could he be fired?

Wavescrashingonthebeach · 30/01/2025 20:40

Justnippinginthegaragelove · 30/01/2025 20:33

I take it none of you work in recruitment?
The companies I worked for all had a beer/wine fridge. Anytime after 4pm was acceptable 😬

Or Law. Well in the olden days when I started out, it's probably different now, but on a Friday our Senior Partner let us all have a cheeky glass while we got ready to go out as long as we didn't take the piss and our work was done. But that was aeons ago it's probably different now 😂

Justnippinginthegaragelove · 30/01/2025 20:51

Wavescrashingonthebeach · 30/01/2025 20:40

Or Law. Well in the olden days when I started out, it's probably different now, but on a Friday our Senior Partner let us all have a cheeky glass while we got ready to go out as long as we didn't take the piss and our work was done. But that was aeons ago it's probably different now 😂

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Haha yes same! Drinks whilst getting ready, and we'd have already been to the pub for lunch 😀 Fun times. I would never be able to keep up now

Anothernamechane · 30/01/2025 20:54

festivemouse · 30/01/2025 19:36

I thought even "alcohol free" beer could be up to 0.5%? That definitely shouldn't be consumed in work!

I think it's probably similar to vaping - you can't do that in an office even if it isn't really smoking, so you can't drink AF wine or beer even if it isn't really drinking.

Do you think it's possible to get tipsy on a 0.5% alcohol drink? When we were kids we used to get top deck shandy at the youth club disco. That was 0.2% from memory. We were primary school age. They wouldn't sell that to kids now but I assure you none of us were drunk.

Willowkins · 30/01/2025 20:54

I'd be against it because some people struggle with alcohol - you might not even know who they are. Even just seeing the (very similar to real alcohol) bottle might be triggering for them.

Wavescrashingonthebeach · 30/01/2025 20:57

LostittoBostik · 30/01/2025 20:35

On what grounds could he be fired?

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The fact it's illegal to promote alcohol to minors and drinking a primarily alcoholic brand is promoting

https://www.asa.org.uk/advice-online/alcohol-the-young.html

Alcohol: Targeting and Appeal to Under 18s

https://www.asa.org.uk/advice-online/alcohol-the-young.html

Housebuy1 · 30/01/2025 21:05

I’ve just spent the weekend in Switzerland on our training course and the company that we are training with had beer in the fridge. It’s very normal in Europe to have beer available at work, never mind non-alcoholic beer.

Kokomjolk · 30/01/2025 21:05

Wavescrashingonthebeach · 30/01/2025 20:57

The fact it's illegal to promote alcohol to minors and drinking a primarily alcoholic brand is promoting

https://www.asa.org.uk/advice-online/alcohol-the-young.html

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That's a law about advertising. A person drinking a drink isn't advertising it in any legal sense.

YouMustBeTheWeasleys · 30/01/2025 21:20

I’ve wondered this myself when I have been working from home in hot weather - really fancied an alcohol free beer from the fridge but felt like I couldn’t be on camera and drink it…no idea why really, as you say, it’s just like having a Pepsi

Glitchymn1 · 30/01/2025 21:23

Depends, a few people had some Nosecco during the work Christmas buffet and quiz (but it’s forced fun).

Keeping a can in the fridge to go with your sarnie, bit weird!

itsturtlesallthewaydown · 30/01/2025 21:24

We have a fridge full of beer at work.

I'd happily crack an A/F one open at my desk for lunch, no one would bat an eye.

After 4pm on a Friday it would be a normal one...

itsturtlesallthewaydown · 30/01/2025 21:25

YouMustBeTheWeasleys · 30/01/2025 21:20

I’ve wondered this myself when I have been working from home in hot weather - really fancied an alcohol free beer from the fridge but felt like I couldn’t be on camera and drink it…no idea why really, as you say, it’s just like having a Pepsi

Have a G&T instead, no one will know it's not lemonade 🙂

BobbyBiscuits · 30/01/2025 21:31

I personally wouldn't care if someone did that. But I guess if it was a client facing role then it could be misconstrued. If a potential client walks in, clocks what looks like a beer on someone's desk at 11am or whatever, they're not going to stop to get an explanation about how the beer was actually alcohol free.
They'll have made their assumption and it would be too late. As they wouldn't mention it on the spot to give you time to explain.
Imagine if it was a healthcare setting? Or childcare? Or an alcoholic or drug support setting?
It's just not worth the hassle. If you like drinking that just put it into a cup. Or drink it outside the building on your break.

MedusaAndHerFavourites · 30/01/2025 21:33

Is it a bit like having a swanky lunch? You could have lobster at your desk, but really - would you?

PondWarrior · 30/01/2025 21:35

SpringBunnyHopHop · 30/01/2025 19:59

It doesn’t look great and I’d be wondering why you needed to imitate drinking alcohol during work hours. I’d be curious if you had a problem and were switching to the alcoholic version at 5pm.

You think someone that drinks an alcohol free beer or wine “needs to imitate drinking”? Have you considered that they might just like the taste more than a cup of tea or a Coke?

napody · 30/01/2025 21:37

Wavescrashingonthebeach · 30/01/2025 20:00

Its promoting alcoholic drinks in a children's setting though, even if that was an alcohol free Carling etc he's basically advertising an alcohol brand

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Yeah- even if not breaking any general rules about promoting/advertising alcohol, he's not just going about his day, he's effectively childcare for that journey. And it's not a great example to set for kids! Although shouldn't have been fired just for that- a warning would have been fine.

Would people be OK with a teacher swigging one in front of the kids?

Bjorkdidit · 30/01/2025 21:49

PondWarrior · 30/01/2025 21:35

You think someone that drinks an alcohol free beer or wine “needs to imitate drinking”? Have you considered that they might just like the taste more than a cup of tea or a Coke?

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This. I don't like sweet soft drinks whether they contain sugar or artificial sweeteners and given the choice, I'd take an alcohol free lager over a coke or whatever every day of the week.

I agree that it feels wrong, but there's objective reason for it to be wrong. It's also the case that alcohol free beer has health benefits, unlike a lot of the muck that it's socially acceptable to consume like cola, diet drinks, energy drinks etc.

www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/5qpbj3mhB4zqrljc9XJJVfz/is-no-and-low-alcohol-beer-better-for-you-than-a-regular-pint