Since 2008 the choice of drinks available in the average UK pub and bar has increased, with five more fonts on the front bar and a 27% increase in brands on the back bar.
In addition, drinkers are now moving into spirits earlier in the evening via cocktails and premium dark spirits, which is also cutting into sales of beer, CGA Strategy’s chief operating officer Phil Tate explained.
“A combination of consumers coming out later in the evening, and a boom in cocktails and dark spirits such as bourbon that are very male-led, are having a negative effect on sales of ale and lager,” he said.
Nearly 60% of consumers like to drink cocktails at the start of a night out, and among 18 to 24-year-olds this increases to 80%, the report says.
“Bomb” serves are booming
At the other end of the evening, bomb serves such as Jägerbombs are increasing in popularity with one in three licensed venues now serving bombs and the same proportion of 18 to 24-year-olds consuming them every week.
The research indicates that these are a source of incremental sales for retailers, with consumers viewing them as an impulse purchase on top of a round of drinks.
“These days, consumers count an average of 8.6 categories in their repertoire, the majority of which may well be consumed over the course of one evening,” said Tate. “Retailers that are capitalising on these trends are those who are more adventurous and adopting new products and serves.”
NPD on the increase
Over 200 new SKUs have been launched in the last two years alone, the majority of which are new brands and flavours rather than new pack sizes, and successful pubs and bars are regularly rationalising their ranges in order to keep consumers interested.
Fewer standard vodkas, beers and apple and pear ciders are now being offered in favour of spiced rums, tequila and fruit ciders, the report showed.
“It’s not all bad for the beer category though,” said Tate. “World beers, craft beers, speers (beers flavoured with spirits) and cans, are all earmarked for growth.”