Drinks sales remain above pre-Covid levels for second week

On premise drinks sales held just above pre-Covid levels for the second week in a row in the seven days leading to last Saturday, 30 April, due to a “bright start” to the bank holiday weekend.

According to CGA’s Drinks Recovery Tracker, “reasonable” weather at the start of the long weekend led to a sales increase of 7% and 15% on Friday and Saturday (29 and 30 April) respectively. 

All in all, average sales by value in managed pubs, bars and restaurants were 0.4% up on the same week in 2019. This follows a 1% increase in the previous seven days, after four successive weeks of sales just below comparatives.

With demand for mixed drinks remaining strong, spirits recorded growth of 16% from the same week in 2019 – the category’s best week since mid-March.

However, growth was cancelled out by weaker trading in the first half of the week. CGA said that factoring in high levels of inflation, the real-terms value of sales remain well below pre-pandemic markers.

Soft drinks are down 1%, cider is down 1%, and beer is down 3% were just behind comparatives, and the wine category has proved the most challenging with a decrease of 11%.

Jonathan Jones, CGA’s managing director, UK and Ireland, said: “A decent bank holiday weekend was a welcome boost to trade, but the reality is that figures are still short of the growth that the On Premise needs.

“With two more bank holiday weekends on the horizon, operators and suppliers will be pinning hopes on bright weather to bring consumers out and kickstart their spending.”