To ask what you’d think of a colleague drinking 0% beverages at work?

[intheheatofjuly]

Inspired by a LinkedIn post I’ve seen, not a situation I’m in! It’s really made me think because I suppose technically there is a marginal % of alcohol in them and they’re designed to mimic alcoholic drinks.

But in my mind it’s fine because it’s not alcohol! So I thought I’d ask

YABU - they’re not appropriate for the workplace.

YANBU - they’re basically just fizzy juice.

Alcoholics are not alcoholics because just love the flavour of a beer! AF drinks are not a substitute for some one who cannot get through the work day without alcohol. Those people have vodka in their water bottles. Why would they bother with alcohol free?

I think there's an element of proactiveness here. Are they asking to be sacked and hoping a tribunal would go their way?
It's just such an odd thing to do when there's all kinds of soft drinks around.

Interesting. I give my (teenage) child 0% fruit cider in a can. It tastes like fizzy raspberry- not even close to an alcoholic taste. She just likes them so aside from the can they are essentially just a soft drink. Didn’t occur to us that this was odd.

In the late 1980's I was very briefly a teacher. We used to go to the pub at lunchtime!!!

That is very odd. Kids have mocktails all the time surely? Just a mixture of Juices and an umbrella! Just a bit of fun- not a gateway to alcohol dependency. My kids love a Shirley temple.

I'm not sure. I used to work in a nursery and I don't think it would have been acceptable. I imagine some parents might have complained even though it's alcohol free and imagine older children (pre school) might have gone home saying staff were drinking. Just easier to not bother and then have an alcoholic drink (or not) at home later.

I would think they had a drink problem

I would privately assume they either just really loved the taste or were a recovering functional alcoholic who previously drank in the day.

None of my buisness though really, as long as they aren't alcoholic it doesn't matter (though I suppose it wouldn't look good in certain work places).

Drinking when is the key? At a group lunch?
At their desk at 9am?

Soft drinks are almost always sweet and sugary or full of sweeteners which I don't really like.
I prefer alcohol free beer as it has a completely different flavour - perhaps hoppy or a deeper fruit flavour. Could do with having different marketing so people don't think you are having alcohol (was taking DGC for walks in the summer and got some unpleasant looks as I enjoyed a cool drink while he slept in the buggy)

I wouldn't, but I have been known to have a Trip CBD drink on my lunch break (not in the building though)

Same here, I work for a front line service in public services. I wouldnt allow my workers to have something like this on their desk

Its like vaping in the office, not allowed.

What if they just like the taste?

It’s nothing like vaping

By drinking 0% alcohol drinks? Wouldn’t make them a very successful alcoholic would it?

When I lived in Spain for a bit between jobs I worked in a cafe bar.

Every morning workers came in for a coffee.
them for lunch and a dorada sin
then for a beer on the way home.

plenty of workers (constriction) onsite would have dorada sin with their lunch.

Im not sure it would be quite as accepted in a corporate office or hospital or school!

But that’s probably classed as double standards!

Disagree. The 0% beers are really refreshing and not sweet, unlike almost all other fizzy drinks. No sugar AND no sweeteners (some of the sweeteners.give me diarrhoea!)

I think it does look a bit odd perhaps, but wanting one does not necessarily have anything to do with needing something alcohol like
. Perhaps it's time soft drink manufacturers cane up with some non sweetened drinks that weren't "booze coded" . Like unsweet iced tea or something.

I would have no problem with it.

0% lagers are one of the very few "soft" drinks I can safely consume now NNS are in pretty much all soft drinks. There is only so much sparkling water I can stomach and these are often the only option in the small chain supermarkets.

wouldnt be a problem in my office

That's an interesting point.

Would people also be happy with their young kids drinking them?

I can't explain why but I would feel uncomfortable drinking one at work. I guess partly I associate the take of beer as something to do to relax, not while I'm working.

Also, even the 0.0 ones contain some alcohol. Just less the. 0.05%

We were very surprised too. The waitress was very kind about it and offered to make a similar spritz type drink, but said they weren’t allowed to serve from the mocktail menu for under 18s

My old office has a beer fridge which had plenty of non alcoholic options which I would partake in. Occasionally I would have a beer but usually had the car so had the money alcoholic one

Im a teacher. I could drink a can of coke and not feel guilty in front of kids but NOT a can of 0% guiness.

A water bottle, flask, beaker, mug, or can, could be filled with alcohol, so I don't think that's an issue.

I know of someone with a drink problem who has started drinking zero percent to try to combat cravings so personally that would be in the back of my mind.

If not that yes I’d think they’re doing it for attention or so they can start an argument with someone!! (I’m having a negative day😅)