Over the weekend the Euros and Father’s Day celebrations provided a significant boost to beer and cider sales, yet again showcasing the critical role of major events in revitalising the UK hospitality industry.
In England, pubs saw an increase of 55 extra pints sold per pub (+20.6%) compared to last year. This uplift was notably generated by football driving pub traffic as well, of course, as families celebrating Father’s Day.
In Scotland, enthusiasm for the Home Nation’s first game led to a substantial surge in pub sales, with Scottish fans consuming a massive 107 more pints per pub compared to the same period in 2023.
Conversely, in Wales, where there was no Home Nation team to support, sales did not see a similar boost. Instead, Sunday sales declined by 46 pints per pub as Father’s Day alone did not suffice to spark significant sales increases.
The average UK pub served 984 pints of draught beer and cider over the weekend, generating an income of £4,674. Although this is a -1.7% decrease from the same Father’s Day weekend in 2023, it represents an improvement from the YTD decline of -3.8%.
Declines were observed across all lager categories, with Premium Lager sales dropping by -15% and Core Lager by -7.4%. Cider sales also suffered, with fruit cider declining by -13.7% and apple cider by -18.2%.
However, standout performances in other categories included Stout sales which increased by +22.9% and Ale by +18.3%. These rises are partly attributed to the Father’s Day celebrations, which tend to see families celebrate across the generations.
Overall footfall declined by 1.9%, driven by decreases in both rural and city locations as consumers opted to stay closer to home to watch football and celebrate Father’s Day.
Despite this, Sunday saw a 2.5% increase in visits to pubs, primarily driven by suburban outlets, which experienced a 3.8% increase in traffic. In contrast, Friday saw a significant decline of 2.5%, and Saturday fell by 1.8%, indicating that Father’s Day concentrated visits into a single day.
Dwell time grew by 3.3% over the weekend, with pubgoers staying longer particularly in City Centre locations, which saw a 6.6% rise, and Suburban outlets, with a 4.9% increase. The average dwell time grew to 127 minutes per occasion.
Alison Jordan, CEO of Oxford Partnership, comments:
“The combination of the Euros and Father’s Day demonstrates the significant impact that major events can have on the hospitality industry, particularly in terms of driving beer and cider sales. While we still see an overall decline in sales compared to the previous year, the reduction in the rate of decline is encouraging. The positive trends such as increased dwell times and higher sales during specific events offer a hopeful outlook for the industry as it continues to navigate the challenges of the current economic environment. By strategically leveraging major events and understanding consumer behaviour patterns, the hospitality industry can continue to build on these gains.”
