Lidl launches ‘hangover-free’ Prosecco

German discount retailer Lidl has launched what it claims to be a ‘hangover-free’ Prosecco in the run up to Christmas.

All the bubbles and none of the trouble? Lidl has launched what it claims to be a ‘hangover-free’ Prosecco

Due to hit the shelves tomorrow, Lidl’s Organic Prosecco Spumante, which is said to boast “bright aromas of pear and white peach”, will go on sale for £7.99. The retailer claims that because the fizz is low in sulphites, imbibers are less likely to get a hangover from it.

“We’ve all had that shocking wine hangover. This is sometimes attributed to the sulphite preservatives used in wine to keep them fresher for longer. Generally, organic wine producers use a lower level of sulphites in the production process, which means they are less likely to contribute to hangovers.

Lidl’s new ‘hangover-free’ organic Prosecco

“So if you don’t react well to sulphites you could be saying good riddance to hangovers with Lidl’s Organic Prosecco Spumante,” said a spokesperon for Lidl.

The news has been met with a mixed reaction, with Telegraph wine critic Victoria Moore describing Lidl’s claim as an “absolute claptrap”.

“Hangovers are caused by alcohol. There are more sulphites in dried fruits, processed meats and frozen juices than in the average bottle of commercially produced wine,” Moore said.

“Lidl’s claim is irresponsible to say the least. If anyone is stupid enough to think that they could drink a skinful of Prosecco and avoid a hangover just because the Prosecco in question was lower in sulphites, then they deserve all the headache they get,” she added.

Mark Leyshon, senior policy and research officer at Alcohol Concern was equally disparaging of the story.

“There’s no such thing as a hangover-free alcoholic drink unfortunately. The only way to avoid one is to drink less,” he told the BBC.

This isn’t the first product to claim to help keep wine lovers hangover free. After two years in development, a gadget that allegedly removes sulphites from wine recently went on sale.

The Üllo wine purifier was developed by American entrepreneur James Kornacki. Using his patented ‘selective sulfite capture’ technology, the gadget acts as a magnet to pull the sulphites out, while retaining all other compounds in the wine.

Meanwhile, London-based drugs scientist David Nutt is developing a formula for synthetic alcohol that will deliver all the liberating effects of alcohol without the hangover.

Nutt has been working on the idea for a decade experimenting with over 80 substances that mimic the effects of alcohol on the brain.

He has narrowed the recipe down to five compounds, which he plans to submit to the Food Standards Agency as a novel “food ingredient”.