Drinks sales back in modest growth after tough January

Drinks sales in the UK rose 1% for the week ended 10 February compared with the same period last year, according to data from CGA.

Trading last week was boosted by stable weather and the Six Nations rugby tournament.

This follows four successive weeks of negative numbers, thanks to a combination of a squeeze on spending, Dry January, variable weather and rail strikes.

The combination of mild temperatures and match days helped sales to rise 9% on 4 February.

The following Saturday (10 February) brought year-on-year growth of 5% on the back of the England v Wales fixture.

However, trading was muted in between and sales were down on four of the seven days, bottoming out at -8% as rain moved in on 8 February.

As is usually the case, the Long Alcoholic Drinks (LAD) category gained most from the rugby.

Beer and cider sales were up by 5% and 6% respectively, while soft drinks and wine were in marginal decline of 1% and 2%.

Spirits sales were 7% below the same week in 2023, though this marks an improvement on the steep drops of recent weeks.

Jonathan Jones, CGA by NIQ’s managing director, UK and Ireland, said: “These numbers are a relief for venues and suppliers after a difficult January, and raise hopes that the post-Christmas hangover has finally worn off. They show that consumers are still keen to get out into our pubs, bars and restaurants and are willing to spend, despite continued pressures on their disposable income.”