Operators and suppliers generated marginal growth in the second half of May following wetter weather, CGA by NIQ’s latest Daily Drinks Tracker shows.
Sales in the week to 24 May were 2% ahead of the same period in 2024, while the following seven days to 31st May brought a fractional decline of 0.4%.
It completes a soft May for the on-trade after a mixed first fortnight, caused in part by rain in many areas of Britain. However, after a very bright spring, which provided year-on-year growth in ten of 11 weeks between February and late April, trends over the medium term have been generally good.
The second fortnight of May suffered from a damp bank holiday weekend, with sales on Saturday 24th and Monday 26th May down by 13% and 10% respectively. Comparisons were much healthier on sunnier days, such as 20th and 21st May, which both delivered double-digit growth.
The Tracker’s breakdown of categories shows beer sustained its recent positive performance, with growth of 2% and 3% over the two weeks. However, wine (down 10% and 13%) struggled, and spirits (down 8% and 4%) were also negative — though there are signs that this category’s year-on-year comparisons are starting to narrow.
“After a very encouraging March and April for drinks sales, May was a tougher month for pubs, bars, and suppliers,” said Rachel Weller, CGA by NIQ’s commercial lead, UK & Ireland.
“Both of May’s bank holiday weekends were washouts for many parts of the country, though gains during brighter periods at least pushed sales into the black.
“Many consumers continue to watch their cash, and ongoing inflation and new labour costs have piled pressure on real-terms growth and profit margins. Fingers are crossed that the next few weeks bring a return to warmer weather and more confident spending.”
