Bright weather has helped pubs, bars, restaurants, and suppliers to start April with strong growth in drinks sales after a slow end to March.
CGA by NIQ’s Daily Drinks Tracker shows average drinks sales in managed venues in the week to 5th April were up by 5% compared to the same period in April. On the back of a decent March, it raises hopes for some sustained real-terms growth for the on-trade after a sluggish start to 2025.
Growth would have been even stronger without comparisons being distorted by the long Easter weekend, which fell in late March in 2024. This pushed daily sales down by 15% and 28% on Sunday, 30th, and Monday, 31st March. However, trading then surged back into growth of 19% and 22% on the next two days. It remained ahead by double digits on each of the three remaining days of the week.
Revenue was boosted by temperatures touching 20ºC in places over the week, drawing consumers out to the gardens and terraces of pubs and bars. The sunny weather made it a particularly good period for the long alcoholic drink categories, with beer sales rising 8% year on year and cider soaring 22%.
A strong spring for the on-trade was interrupted by a week of softer trading, as the Daily Drinks Tracker shows year-on-year sales were down by 6% over the seven days to 29th March. Trading was well behind the equivalent days in 2024 for most of the week, though comparisons were again skewed by the earlier Easter last year. Sales were down in all major drinks categories, but beer (down 1%) and cider (down 3%) were most resilient.
“These are very encouraging numbers that show on-premise operators and suppliers are building some decent sales momentum,” said Rachel Weller, CGA by NIQ’s commercial lead, UK and Ireland. “Bright weather always lifts people’s spending, but we may also be starting to see a wider improvement in their confidence as inflation eases.
“The Easter weekend should give pubs, bars, and suppliers an even bigger boost, especially if the sun continues to shine. Some of the growth will inevitably be eaten up by the unwelcoming increase in employers’ labour costs from April, which may also force some venues to raise prices — but it’s nevertheless a strong opening to a crucial period for the on-premise.”
