Non-alcoholic drinks have seen a boom in recent years as growing numbers of younger drinkers go teetotal or cut back.

But now, shandy is poised for a resurgence as a larger portion of drinkers seek lower-alcohol ‘sessionable’ options that don’t compromise on taste.

The nostalgic drink has become an unlikely option for Gen Z drinkers, with retailers reporting an uptick in sales in recent months.

First popularised in the 19th century, shandy mixes beer with a citrus non-alcoholic beverage, typically lemonade.

Jane Peyton, founder of the School of Booze, told This is Money that shandy started going out of fashion in the 1990s, but is undergoing a revival.

Part of the reason shandy is growing in popularity again, Peyton said, is because of changing drinking habits and more demand for lower or zero alcohol products.

According to recent data from the BBPA, low and zero alcohol beer is the alcohol industry's biggest growth category across the UK, with volume growth of 870 per cent since 2013.

Last year, approximately 200million no and low beers were drunk, the category’s most successful year on record.

Peyton said: 'Shandy was seen as old-fashioned with a younger demographic who didn’t want something that their grandparents would drink.

'At the same time, a wide choice of new adult soft drinks became more appealing to the younger drinker and took market share from shandy.'

While the drink has stayed the same, its perception has received somewhat of a makeover. Hollywood actor Tom Holland’s non-alcoholic beer brand Bero recently launched a limited edition shandy range - evidence of how it has become the cool go-to drink.

Peyton added: 'The shandy revival is connected to the increasing trend for retro and "old school" products so it’s ironic that something is now fashionable for exactly the reason it went out of fashion in the 1990s.’

Drinkers in 2026 looking for an updated shandy option are not short of options, either.

Ocado told This is Money it has seen sales of shandy drinks rise by 40 per cent year-on-year in the year to date. Its shandy range includes Foster’s Proper Lager Shandy and a new range by M&S, in raspberry and lemon and lime flavours.

Tom Stevens, co-founder of Shandy Shack, which launched in 2018, told This is Money that 'shandy was never the problem' and has always been a 'cracking drink'.

He said: ‘It just got stuck in the past while everything around it moved on. Beer got cooler, craft exploded, cocktails had their moment, and shandy got left with this reputation of being something your dad or grandma drank. Nobody was really giving it a fresh spin, so people stopped paying attention.

'We also realised loads of people had already made their minds up before they'd even tasted it. There was this idea that shandy was somehow a watered-down version of beer, or a compromise.'

Sales of shandy have also seen a recent boom as shoppers hunt for thirst-quenching light and refreshing drinks amid multiple heatwaves.

Emma McClarkin, chief executive of the British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA), said: 'With the recent heatwaves driving many Brits to our treasured pub gardens, a shandy can be a great option for those that want a drink that's both refreshing and on the lighter side.'

The shandy originated in the 1850s in England where it was earlier known as shandygaff. The shandygaff was a combination of beer and ginger ale or ginger beer.

By the late nineteenth century, the ginger ale in the shandygaff was replaced with lemonade or lemon soda, and the 'gaff' was dropped to shorten the word to just shandy.

Stevens said the way people drink was changing, spelling good news for businesses like his.

He said: 'More and more people want flavour and quality, but they don't necessarily want something that'll knock them sideways after a couple.

'We're proud to call it shandy, because shandy's back – and it's about time.'