An advertising photo of a non-alcoholic beer product. Although it uses ad copy such as 0.0% alcohol and Alcohol ZERO, it actually contains less than 1% alcohol, so it is not completely alcohol-free. "A 0.0% alcohol label does not mean it is alcohol-free. I am preparing for pregnancy, so I bought it because it said 0.0%, but the ingredients label shows it is non-alcoholic." Alcohol-free, non-alcoholic, 0.0 alcohol, 0.00 alcohol···. These phrases, printed on products sold on the market, give the impression that it is safe to drink because there is no alcohol. However, beers labeled 'non-alcoholic' or '0.0(%)' may contain less than 1% alcohol. On pregnancy and childbirth online communities, posts often appear from people who bought a product assuming it contained no alcohol at all, only to learn it contains a small amount and feel alarmed. Labels such as 'non-alcoholic' and '0.0' are permitted even on beers containing small amounts of alcohol, causing consumer confusion, yet the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety did not conduct a single alcohol-content test of these products over the past two years. Although the market for alcohol-free and non-alcoholic beverages is growing rapidly, critics say labeling standards and post-market oversight that clearly indicate whether alcohol is present remain insufficient.
