Interestingly I tried to order my 16 year old son an alcohol free cider in Wetherspoons and was told even though it has no alcohol in it they were not allowed to sell it to me to give to him…bit odd really?
Alcohol Free Beer
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I’ve tried quite a few.
Heineken is probably one of my favourites.
Other ones I like:
BrewDog Nanny State
BrewDog Raspberry Blitz
Brooklyn Lager Special Effects
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Expect it’s the same reason people don’t like vaping in young children. It normalises behaviour that is indistinguishable from or could lead to bad behaviour.
And, very specifically in the case of a pub, if someone is drinking from a pint of beer, there’s no way of telling by sight if they’re drinking real beer or fake beer. Makes no odds if the drinker is of age, but could cause awful trouble if they’re not.
Not saying you would, but I don’t doubt there are people out there who’d order a real beer for themselves and a fake beer for their kid, and then swap them around at the table. It’s easier then, on every level, to just have a ‘not of age? no beer or beer-alike for you!’ policy.
Vaping isn’t really comparable to non alcoholic fruit based drinks. Vaping is still potentially harmful to those using them, however I do see your point.
I could argue that if you my lad was drinking a fizzy blackcurrant based drink and I had a dark fruits Strongbow (I wouldn’t…yak!) you wouldn’t be able to tell the difference either. (I am thinking of inventing a glass that detects alcohol and displays a symbol so the bar staff/ authorities can see at a glance who is drinking alcohol…I don’t have any idea how, but think it could be a good idea!)
To my mind by demonising the non alcohol based version my son would think why should I choose the non alcoholic version when I’m 18? I’ll just go straight for the grog. By allowing him to chose the non alcoholic option at 16 he is more likely to stick with it when he starts going out with his mates etc?
As for buying two versions and giving him the ‘grown up’ drink…that a matter of parenting. I personally don’t have a problem with my lad having the occasional cider when he is with me. All the current alcohol laws do is build up the tension of reaching 18 and being able to have a drink into a pressure cooker to the point that when they hit the milestone they go crazy. Drip feeding the introduction to alcohol from a sensible age reduces the mystique of ‘having a pint’ and I am hoping will reduce his need to go ‘mental mental chicken oriental’ on his birthday 
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Another one to try is BrewDog Punk AF. Been drinking a few recently as softs. Nice and refreshing.
As for the definition of Alcohol Free. It has to be 0.5% and under.
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I used to be dead against alcohol free beer as most were terrible.
However recently I went out and was driving so drank alcohol free and was pretty impressed with the options available. I really enjoyed Adnams ghost ship and brew dog nanny state the genuinely tasted just like propper beer.
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Shouting out Budweiser Prohibition as no one has mentioned yet 
Haven’t seen it in too many places out and about but certainly a couple of bars in central Birmingham have had it.
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Yep I’ve tried budweiser which was quite watery, Heineken which was quite strong, and bavaria which was spot on
Oh I’ve had Bavaria too, that was really good. When I was in Morocco last year they served me some fruity flavoured ones. Not normally into that kind of thing but they were super nice, not overly sweet and sickly. Couldn’t find them anywhere in the UK for sale 
Too bad they didnt pay their designer for it.