On Premise drinks sales rose 3% in the week to last Saturday (14 October)—making it eight weeks of growth out of nine for the Daily Drinks Tracker from CGA by NIQ.
Unseasonably warm weather helped to drive year-on-year growth of 13% and 8% on Sunday and Monday (8 and 9 October). Figures were more modest in the middle of the week but bounced back to 4% growth on Saturday (14 October), thanks to Rugby World Cup quarter finals involving Wales and Ireland.
The rugby and high temperatures helped make LAD categories the biggest winners of the week, with cider sales up 13% year-on-year. Sport gave beer a good week too, with sales in Scotland soaring 66% on Thursday as the men’s football team took on Spain in a Euros qualifier, and trading in Wales up 41% thanks to the Rugby World Cup quarter-final clash with Argentina.
The weather and sport didn’t suit all categories though, and the week’s wine sales were up by only 1% year-on-year, while spirits were down 6%.
“Changeable weather has made for an up-and-down few months for the LAD category, but the sunshine and Rugby World Cup have given suppliers and operators a strong start to the autumn,” says Jonathan Jones, CGA by NIQ’s managing director, UK and Ireland. “England’s semi-final this weekend should extend the run and give the On Premise a springboard into November and the festive season.”
