Online alcohol retailer DrinkWell UK has drawn the ire of the ASA for making non-permitted health and nutrition claims about alcoholic drinks.
An advert, published in November 2025 and flagged by the ASA’s AI-powered Active Ad Monitoring system, stated: “We’ve cracked the code: full-strength, delicious wine & beers with 70-80% less carbohydrates and calories!”.
Further text said: “Don’t compromise on taste or abv. Make better choices that fit your lifestyle. Tap ‘Learn More’ to discover the future of mindful drinking with DrinkWell”.
Meanwhile, an embedded video featured on-screen text comparing DrinkWell’s LeanBrew IPA and BrewDog Punk IPA, listing the calorie, carbohydrate and sugar content of the two brews. It included a button labelled “Learn more” and a link to the DrinkWell UK website, with text that stated, “Guilt-free wine & beer? Absolutely!”.
The advert “went beyond giving factual information about abv and implied…products might be preferred because of their alcohol content,” the ASA said.
It also referenced a “general nutritional benefit of reduced calories advantage”, in a way that was not permitted by the CAP Code. The code only allows for the claims “low-alcohol”, “reduced alcohol” and “reduced energy,” in relation to alcohol – and only when the conditions of use associated with these claims are met.
Finally, by using phrases such as “guilt-free”, the ad gave an overall impression that products were “compatible with a healthier lifestyle choice”, the ASA said.
Banning the advert in its current form, the watchdog said: “We told DrinkWell not to imply that a drink may be preferred because of its alcohol content and not to make health or non-permitted nutrition claims about alcoholic drinks.”
DrinkWell said that the ad had since been removed and acknowledged that the content had not complied with the CAP Code.
“The social media ad itself had only £60 worth of advertising spend behind it before we realised the compliance issue,” DrinkWell co-founder Tom Bell told The Grocer. “The ad, which was created by an external agency, was removed quickly with very small reach and we’ve strengthened our internal processes to ensure everything we do going forward is fully compliant.
“More broadly, this highlights a wider tension across the industry, between growing consumer demand for clearer, more transparent information, and a regulatory framework built for a very different era.
“As a business, our role is to help move the category forward responsibly. That means continuing to improve how we communicate, operating within the rules, and supporting a more modern, transparent future for the industry.”
DrinkWell is an online retailer and wholesaler that sells a range of “better-for-you” alcoholic drinks including lower-calorie, sugar and carbohydrate wines, beers, and spirits.
It stocks a selection of third-party brands as well as its own-label brands including Traces Wine and Lean Brew.
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