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Britain’s heatwave has driven a sharp rise in alcohol-free beer purchases, with one brand enjoying record sales for the last five days.

As temperatures climbed to the mid-thirties across large parts of the country, Lucky Saint, the non-alcoholic beer brand, saw retail sales up by 56 per cent on last week.

Compared to last year, the alcohol-free beer brand’s retail sales increased by 73 per cent.

A spokesperson for Lucky Saint said: “Across supermarkets, we’ve seen strong trading across the heatwave. We have had record sales, with each day so far this week our biggest ever day.”

Wine Bartender, a non-alcoholic drinks store, said it noticed a “clear heatwave correlation”, with beer sales rising by 33 per cent over the past two weeks.

The spike in sales comes as the UK recorded its hottest June day record for a third consecutive day. Temperatures of 36.9C were recorded in Wattisham, Suffolk on Friday.

A rare red warning for extreme heat is in place until 9pm for London & South East England and the East of England.

Wine Bartender said this week’s sales were already tracking higher than last week, and beverages like non-alcoholic lager and hazy pale were leading the charge.

The Alcohol Free Co. saw beer sales increase by just over 20 per cent in June, with customers opting for alcohol-free lagers, pale ales, ciders and lighter beers.

A spokesperson said: “We always notice an uplift in alcohol-free beer sales when the weather gets warmer. During a heatwave, customers are looking for something cold, refreshing and easy to drink, but without the alcohol.

“We also tend to see people ordering earlier in the day, which suggests they’re planning ahead for BBQs, garden drinks and warm evenings. Alcohol-free beer is no longer just a Dry January product, it has become part of everyday drinking, especially in summer.”

A report from charity Drinkaware last year revealed that 31 per cent of UK drinkers were opting for alcohol-free options to moderate their drinking, up from 18 per cent in 2018.

Among Gen Z adults, who are often labelled the “sober curious” generation, this figure rose to 49 per cent, up from 28 per cent in 2018.

Health chiefs have cautioned England fans ahead of the World Cup game on Saturday, warning them of the dangers of drinking alcohol all day in the extreme heat.

Private GP and medical director for Prestige Private Health Dr Wesley Tensel said drinking alcohol in the hot weather can “catch people out” and cause dizziness, dehydration, and heat exhaustion.

“That combination together can be a double whammy,” he added.

Over the weekend, the French government announced a ban on public alcohol consumption in regions under its highest red heatwave alert.

It came during the annual music celeberation Fête de la Musique festival, which turns entire towns and cities into open-air concert venues.

Music day event organisers were ordered to limit alcohol use to “preserve emergency services and allow medics to concentrate on taking care of the most vulnerable.”