Many populations within Canada don’t drink alcohol, and medications used for weight loss (such as Ozempic) are shown to decrease desire for alcohol. Both could factor into more people reaching for non-alcoholic beverages, noted MacKay, a University of Manitoba food and human nutritional sciences professor.

“It’s nice to have that option,” Wendy Hart said of alcohol-free drinks. “Especially if you’re out with your girlfriends and you’re driving.”

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