On-trade drinks sales edged back into growth in the last week of November, raising hopes for a strong Christmas for suppliers and operators.
CGA by NIQ’s Daily Drinks Tracker shows average sales in managed venues in the seven days to Saturday, 30th November, were 1% ahead of the same week in 2023. It is a welcome upswing after a tricky previous week and wide fluctuations throughout the autumn and early winter.
Drinks sales were up year on year on five of the seven days of the week, with growth peaking at 8% on Saturday, thanks to a combination of mild weather, Premier League fixtures, and St Andrew’s Day celebrations in Scotland. However, trading was 2% down on Black Friday.
Category data from the Daily Drinks Tracker suggests it could be a happy Christmas for long alcoholic drinks (LAD), with beer and cider generating above-inflation growth of 5% and 4% respectively. A 7% year-on-year jump in soft drinks indicates that more consumers might be looking for alcohol-free options in pubs and bars this year.
By contrast, wine and champagne sales were down by 2% and the spirits category fell by 12%.
“It’s always tricky to make year-on-year comparisons at this time of year, but these numbers provide cautious confidence that the on-premise can end 2024 on a high,” said Rachel Weller, CGA by NIQ’s commercial lead, UK and Ireland.
“However, suppliers and venues will need the tailwinds of decent weather and a pick-up in consumer confidence to generate real-terms growth.
“With many consumers choosing longer LAD serves over short ones, like shots, it’s also clear that businesses will need to provide spending-conscious consumers with full value for money to keep them coming back over Christmas.”
