Going booze-free shouldn’t mean rolling into sugar overdrive.
There’s a shift happening. More and more people are skipping the rosé and reaching for something a little less... wobbly. In fact, Waitrose reported a huge surge in sales of alcohol-free alternatives, which basically confirms what we’ve all suspected: the sober curious lifestyle has officially hit the mainstream.
But while we’re all for dry nights and clear mornings, there’s one small issue that hasn’t been talked about enough: most alcohol-free drinks are still absolutely packed with sugar.
From mocktails to no-alcohol ciders, a lot of so-called “healthy swaps” sneak in more sweet stuff than you'd expect. So, while your liver’s doing a happy little alcohol-free dance, your blood sugar? Not so much.
That’s where we come in. Hip Pop’s low sugar soft drinks, from bold, grown-up sodas to award-winning kombuchas, let you keep your summer fresh, fizzy, and genuinely feel-good. No alcohol, no sugar crash, no artificial ingredients.
Let’s break it all down. What actually is a sober summer, and how can you enjoy one without falling into the sugar trap?
So, What Exactly Is a Sober Summer?
A trend, a lifestyle, a detox… or just a chance to actually remember your bank holiday Monday.
At its heart, a Sober Summer is all about going alcohol-free, whether for a night, a month, or the full flip-flop season. And it’s not just about cutting out the booze; it’s about embracing everything that comes with it. Think clear-headed mornings, hangover-free Sundays, and drinks that don’t end with you texting your ex or losing a shoe in a hedge.
For some, it’s a health kick. For others, it’s about focus, fitness, mental clarity, or just finally realising they’re tired of drinking squash out of wine glasses and pretending it’s a vibe.
And the stats back it up:
- A recent YouGov study showed that nearly 1 in 4 UK adults have reduced or cut out alcohol entirely in the past year.
- The younger generations are leading the charge, Gen Z in particular are drinking far less than their Millennial or Gen X counterparts.
- Supermarkets and pubs are expanding their low- and no-alcohol options more than ever, and not just during Dry January.
But here’s the twist: while we’ve all gotten better at not drinking, a lot of the replacements are still sugar-heavy, syrupy, or loaded with artificial sweeteners pretending to be natural.
And that’s the trap.
You ditch the booze to feel better, but end up necking sugary mocktails or fizzy drinks that taste like they were designed in a lab. The result? Energy crashes, bloating, and a sugar intake that quietly undoes all the good intentions.
The Sugar Problem in Alcohol-Free Drinks
You gave up the hangover, not your pancreas.
So, you’ve cut out alcohol. Great move. You're hydrating more, sleeping better, and cut your screen time down (no more doomscrolling at 2:43am); fantastic work keep it up! But if your new go-to is a fizzy drink or a fruity mocktail, there’s a catch: sugar is sneaking in through the back door.
Many alcohol-free drinks, especially mocktails, low-alcohol beers, and soft drinks marketed as “adult” options, are packed with free sugars. These are the added sugars that the NHS warns us about, because they contribute to everything from tooth decay to weight gain and increased risk of heart disease.
Let’s look at the numbers:
- A 250ml mocktail can easily contain 20–30g of sugar. That’s about 6–8 teaspoons in one glass.
- A “healthy” cold-pressed juice might clock in at 25g of sugar per bottle, without the fibre to balance it out.
- Even some no-alcohol wines and beers contain added sugars to compensate for the missing booze, making them surprisingly heavy on calories.
According to the NHS, adults should consume no more than 30g of free sugars per day. That’s the equivalent of roughly seven sugar cubes. One mocktail, and you’re basically there.
And let’s not forget about the artificial sweeteners many drinks sneak in under the guise of being “healthier.” Some may help cut calories, but they often come with unwanted aftertastes, questionable gut impact, and a vibe that feels a bit... clinical.
The good news? You don’t have to choose between sugar bombs and science experiments. There is a better way.
Low Sugar, Big Flavour: What to Drink Instead
Fizz that won’t spike your blood sugar or your scepticism.
If you're giving up alcohol for the summer, you want something that still feels like a treat. A drink with personality. Something you can enjoy at a barbecue, on a sunny patio, or while watching your friends play rounders badly in the park.
But most low-alcohol or no-alcohol drinks try to recreate booze, or worse, mask their lack of it, with heaps of sugar or mystery flavourings. That's not our vibe.
At Hip Pop, we’ve gone for a third route: drinks that stand proudly on their own. We don’t pretend to be a wine alternative or sell you a “healthy” cocktail in a can. We just make proper good pop with:
- Naturally low sugar – Our sodas are low calorie, sweetened only with a touch of fruit juice and natural sugars, never artificial sweeteners.
- Real flavour – From Pink Grapefruit to Tropical Peach, we use natural flavourings and real fruit juice to deliver bold, grown-up flavour that actually tastes like what’s on the label.
- Plant fibre – Our Sodas contain 8g of fibre per can, which adds a functional benefit without any weird texture or taste. Good for your gut, easy on your day.
- No sweetener aftertaste – No stevia. No sucralose. No chemical confusion. Just crisp, clean fizz that finishes fresh.
And unlike some no-alc drinks that make vague promises and need a PR team to explain the ingredients, ours are refreshingly simple, and 100% upfront.
So, you can skip the booze and skip the sugar crash, without sacrificing flavour. Just crack a can, sip, and enjoy your summer like a legend. No bloat, no guilt, no regrets.
Sober Summer Staples: The Hip Pop Picks Worth Sipping
If you’re swapping the booze for something a little brighter this summer, here are three of our favourite fridge heroes, all naturally low in sugar, free from artificial nasties, and full of real flavour.
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Berries & Cherries Soda
This one’s all depth and jammy goodness. A bold, juicy blend of dark berries and cherry with just a hint of vanilla to round things out. It’s lightly sparkling, vegan, full of plant fibre, and has zero weird aftertastes. Basically, a soft drink that tastes like it’s been made by someone who actually drinks soft drinks. -
Pink Grapefruit Soda
Fresh, citrusy, and just the right amount of grown-up. This one's made with real pink grapefruit juice, infused with a splash of apple cider vinegar for that subtle zing, and topped off with gut-loving fibre. Bonus: it was recently featured on BBC’s Saturday Kitchen. So yes, it’s a bit of a celebrity. -
Tropical Peach Soda
Summer in a can. Think juicy peach and mellow mango, with enough flavour to make you feel like you're sipping poolside, even if it’s just your lunch break in the garden. Like all our sodas, it’s low in calories, rich in fibre, and completely free from artificial sweeteners.
Let’s Make This a Summer Worth Remembering (with no hangxeity)
No sugar crashes, no hangovers, no regrets.
Whether you’re ditching alcohol for health reasons, curiosity, or just because you’re tired of being the group chat liability, a Sober Summer doesn’t have to be boring. And it certainly doesn’t mean you have to settle for drinks that taste like melted ice lollies or vitamin water.
With Hip Pop, you get proper good pop that fits right into your fridge, your routine, and your new alcohol-free groove. Our sodas are:
- Naturally low in sugar
- Free from artificial sweeteners
- Full of flavour (and plant fibre)
- And genuinely satisfying to sip
So, this summer, fill your glass with something that fizzes for all the right reasons.