'Literally Insane': White Claw Just Dropped a Controversial Product That's Drawing Backlash on Social Media The divisive offering hit shelves on January 1.
By Amanda Breen
Key Takeaways
- White Claw's 0% alcohol seltzer, designed to taste like the original version with alcohol, comes in four flavors.
- While some welcome the addition to the non-alcoholic market, others find more value in less expensive traditional seltzer waters.
White Claw, one of the most popular hard seltzers in the U.S., is stirring the social media pot with its latest offering: a 0% alcohol variety pack.
The sober-friendly product hit supermarket aisles on January 1 — but comes with a price tag that has made some customers balk.
The suggested retail price for the new offering is $17.49-$19.99 for a 12-pack of 12-ounce cans or $10.99-$11.49 for a six-pack of 12-ounce cans, per Fox Business.
Consumers have been vocal on X and TikTok, debating whether the new drinks are a revolutionary step in the non-alcoholic market or simply a cost-inflated seltzer water. For comparison, Total Wine & More lists the price of the popular sparkling water brand La Croix at $5.49 for an eight-pack of 12-ounce cans.
Related: Are You Sober Curious? Dry January Is on the Rise and Here's Why You Might Want to Try It
The beverages, meant to mimic the taste of the brand's original seltzers, are available in black cherry cranberry, mango passionfruit, peach orange blossom and lime yuzu flavors, and have 15 calories per can with added electrolytes.
One X user posted a photo of the 0% White Claw, writing "We've come full circle."
We've come full circle pic.twitter.com/Jq0AjAQBZ7
— c a i t l i n (@hello__caitlin) January 10, 2024
Naturally, not everyone is sold on the new product.
"Seltzer water at beer prices," one user responded.
"This trend of sober seltzer aka water and non-alcoholic wine aka juice and the corresponding prices are literally insane," another said.
"Imagine drinking White Claws without the one ingredient to help you forget you're drinking White Claws," another quipped.
But some X users came to the 0% seltzer's defense. "I actually like this," one user wrote. "As someone who can't have alcohol now I have a new drink to try?"
A similar divide emerged on TikTok, where one user posted a video unveiling the new product — and admitted she "100% wanted to laugh" when she first saw it before coming to the conclusion that it could help non-drinkers feel more comfortable in social settings.
@thebrandblueprint White claw is dropping a non-alcoholic, 0% seltzer to compete with liquid death and transform the nonalcoholic space #whiteclaw #nonalcoholicdrink #brand #branding #packaging #marketing #greenscreen ♬ original sound - Brooke?Marketing, Brand, Ecom
"This is amazing for the sober," one user agreed. "This makes it look like your [sic] drinking without actually drinking!"
"I like the taste of white claws better than other seltzers, so this is a great move," another said.
"Honestly, this seems pointless, but as a pregnant woman who used to drink white claws a lot, I'll probably get some," another user admitted.
