On Premise drinks sales edged back into growth in the last week of November, raising hopes for a strong Christmas for suppliers and operators.
CGA by NIQ’s Daily Drinks Tracker shows average sales in managed venues in the seven days to Saturday 30 November were 1% ahead of the same week in 2023. It is a welcome upswing after a tricky previous week and wide 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 it could be a happy Christmas for Long Alcoholic Drinks (LAD), with beer and cider generating 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%. Suppliers will be hoping that trading here picks up as Christmas celebrations begin in earnest.
Rachel Weller, CGA by NIQ’s commercial lead, UK & 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.”
