UK drink sales boosted by Women’s World Cup, CGA finds

UK drinks sales were in modest year-on-year growth last week, CGA by NIQ’s latest daily drinks tracker shows.

The average sales in managed venues in the week to 26 August finished 1% ahead of the same week in 2022. It is a second successive week of marginal gains, after a tough run of five consecutive weeks of negative numbers in the second half of July and first half of August. 

CGA by NIQ’s data has shown how the Women’s World Cup has boosted trading, and England’s final against Spain on 20 August lifted sales to 16% above the same day last year. The final’s early kick-off, followed by Premier League matches in the afternoon, sustained spending across the day. 

Trading over the rest of the week was more subdued. Daily sales dipped to lows of -4% and -5% on 25 and 26 August, and reached a high of +5% on 22 August. The week’s sales were held down by sporadic weather that compared unfavourably with sunny conditions in August 2022.

Beer performed best of the main drinks categories, with sales 6% ahead of the same week last year. Cider (up 2%) and wine (up 3%) followed the pattern of modest growth, but there was negative trading for soft drinks (down 2%) and spirits (down 10%).

Jonathan Jones, CGA’s managing director, UK and Ireland, said: “More disappointing weather made for another challenging week in the On Premise, but the World Cup Final delivered a big enough boost to haul drinks sales into modest year-on-year growth. 

“As we reach the end of a wet summer which has no doubt had a negative impact on trading, it’s encouraging to see that consumers will go out for a good experience, even in poor weather. To drive growth for the remainder of the year, operators and suppliers will need to focus on delivering that experience week in, week out and not just for one-off events.”