Drinks sales dip in ‘soggy’ end to April
The spirits category had one of its ‘worst’ weeks in a long time, with sales down 19%
Drinks sales in managed venues for the week to last Saturday (27 April) saw a “disappointing” end to April after generally solid trading over the spring, according to data from CGA Strategy.
Although daily sales were up by 11% year-on-year on Sunday (21 April), thanks to a strong round of Premier League fixtures, they were behind the levels of 2023 on all six of the following days as wet and cool weather moved in.
The weekend was particularly weak, with trading down by 8% on Friday (26 April) and by 10% on Saturday (27 April).
Sales suffered by comparison to a sunny late April in 2023, which brought people out to pubs and bars in above-average numbers.
Category-wise, sales of beer and wine were only marginally down year-on-year, by 1% each, while cider and soft drinks, which benefited from a sunnier April in 2023, were behind by 5% and 7% respectively.
The spirits category had one of its “worst” weeks in a long time, with sales down 19%.
Jonathan Jones, CGA by NIQ’s managing director, UK and Ireland, said: “After a decent few weeks, it was disappointing to see drinks sales finish April by sliding behind last year. This year saw one of the wettest Aprils on record, which played a big role in keeping consumers at home.
“The weather can make all the difference between good and bad weeks at this time of year, so venues and suppliers will be keeping everything crossed for a brighter May. With consumer confidence tentatively rising, we can be optimistic that May will be a better month—if the sun shines.”
