Six Nations Drives 11.5 Million Pints Across UK Pubs But Rate of Sale Softens Despite Strong Footfall

UK pubs sold an estimated 11.5 million pints of draught beer and cider during the second weekend of the Guinness Six Nations, underlining the tournament’s continued importance to on-trade performance despite a modest softening in rate of sale.

New insight from Oxford Partnership shows the average pub served 351 pints across the Saturday and Sunday, generating approximately £1,817 in draught revenue per venue.
While the event delivered strong volumes, rate of sale (RoS) declined by 1.0% compared with the equivalent Six Nations weekend in 2025, and by 6.4% versus a typical weekend benchmark, highlighting the impact of fixture appeal on trading performance. Sunday was particularly affected, with RoS falling 13.4% compared with average Sunday trading, reflecting lower engagement around the Wales vs France fixture.

However, the data also shows encouraging signs for operators, with footfall increasing across all location types and Sunday visits rising 19.1% year-on-year. Consumers also spent longer in venues, with average dwell time increasing to 163 minutes per visit, up 2.5% versus the same weekend last year. Sites showing live sport benefitted most, retaining customers for 19 minutes longer on average than non-TV venues, reinforcing the commercial value of live sports broadcasting in driving engagement and spend opportunities.

Category performance remained broadly consistent with previous tournaments. Lager dominated, accounting for 52% of total draught volume, though rate of sale declined slightly year-on-year. Cider and ale delivered modest growth of 1.0% and 0.9% respectively, while craft beer saw sharper declines, falling by more than 9%. Stout increased its overall share to 17.3%, highlighting its continued relevance during major sporting occasions.

At brand level, Carling ranked as the top-performing draught brand by rate of sale, overtaking Guinness, with Foster’s also performing strongly. The performance of core lager brands reinforces their importance in driving volume during high-footfall sporting events, although leading brands still saw slight year-on-year rate of sale declines, reflecting broader market conditions.

Outlet type performance varied, with bars delivering the highest rate of sale at 190 pints per day, up 5.7% year-on-year, while community locals experienced more modest declines, broadly in line with overall market trends.

Alison Jordan, CEO of The Oxford Partnership commented: “Six Nations weekends remain some of the most important trading opportunities in the UK on-trade calendar. While rate of sale softened slightly this weekend, higher footfall and longer dwell times demonstrate strong consumer engagement. Operators with strong sports credentials continue to benefit most, particularly where they create compelling live viewing experiences.”