Wine up and spirits down in flat fortnight for drinks sales

Drinks sales in the UK’s managed venues were level year-on-year for the seven days ended 1 February, according to data from CGA.

However, drinks sales did see growth of 2% on both Friday 31 January and Saturday 1 February. This coincided with the start of the Six Nations rugby tournament and some big football matches.

Despite this, sales slipped by 2% in the following week to 8 February, as cold weather kept some consumers at home. Weekend sales were particularly affected, falling by 5% and 8% on Friday 7 and Saturday 8 February.

Wine sales rose by an inflation-beating 5% and 4% in the weeks to 1 and 8 February, a welcome sign that the category is in line for a revival after a challenging few years. Beer sales were also up by 1% in both weeks, while soft drinks rose 2% and 1%, possibly the result of consumers’ moves away from alcohol at the start of the year.

Meanwhile, it was another weak fortnight for the spirits category, with sales down by 7% and 14% over the two weeks. This follows double-digit declines in the first half of January.

Rachel Weller, CGA by NIQ’s commercial lead, UK and Ireland, said: “Real-terms sales growth has been elusive in the opening weeks of 2025, with Dry January, bad weather and hesitant consumer confidence all conspiring against suppliers and operators.

“However, we can be optimistic about a Valentine’s Day boost and trends in the wine category are particularly encouraging. For brands and venues that can understand consumers’ needs and adapt nimbly to trends, the long-term sales outlook remains good.”