Drinks sales dip in last week of May amid mixed performance
Wine was the best performer among the major drinks categories, with year-on-year sales growth of 8%
Drinks sales in the UK fell 1% in the week ended 1 June after a 3% drop in the previous week, according to data from CGA.
These negative weeks followed two weeks of growth in May, with a 13% increase in the first week of the month and a 0.3% increase in the second week.
Sales were tempered by mixed weather across Britain, with temperatures notably lower than the equivalent week in May 2023.
It was a subpar Bank Holiday weekend of trading, and sales were down by 5% on Bank Holiday Monday 27 May.
Wine was the best performer among the major drinks categories, with year-on-year sales growth of 8%.
Beer, up 1%, was also in growth, but cider, down 14%, soft drinks, down 1% and spirits, down 8%, were all negative.
Jonathan Jones, CGA by NIQ’s managing director, UK and Ireland, said: “May was a month of two halves for hospitality, with modest growth in the first fortnight followed by marginal drops in the second.
“Mixed weather and ongoing caution in consumer spending is making real-terms sales increases difficult at the moment, but as the Euro 2024 football tournament approaches, operators and suppliers will be hoping for a much brighter June.”
