Drinks sales return to growth during last week of November

UK drinks sales edged back into growth by 1% in the last week of November, according to CGA’s and NIQ’s Daily Drinks Tracker.

It is a welcome upswing after a “tricky” previous week and 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 (29 November). 

Category data from the Daily Drinks Tracker suggests that beer and cider generated 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%. 

Rachel Weller, CGA by NIQ’s commercial lead, UK and Ireland, said: “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. 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.”