Carling retains top place as best-selling lager

Carling had sales of 1,129,143 hectolitres (HL) in terms of volume and £662.2m in value (down 34.5% and 33.1% respectively), figures from The Morning Advertiser​’s 2022 Drinks List​ has found.

Second place Foster’s recorded similar percentage drops with value falling by 32.7% to 689,084hl and value by 31.1% to £426.5m.

Two full lockdowns and a multitude of restrictions placed on pubs over the past 12 months has meant most brands in the category saw a sales drop.

Beer consumption stats​

Furthermore, statistics from the British Beer & Pub Association’s 2021 Statistical Handbook ​revealed beer consumption fell by four percentage points​ over the 2020 lockdowns, with total beer sales dropping by 14.2%.

Typically, seven in 10 alcoholic drinks served in a pub are beer and the BBPA has stated the numbers demonstrate the damage of lockdowns to brewers, who lost a key route to market when pubs were forced to close during the lockdowns of 2020.

However, for this year’s Drinks List, none of the top 10 saw volume or value sales drop by more than 38%. Carlsberg Danish Pilsner saw the biggest fall of 37.7% in volume and 36.3% in value.

In fact, third place Birra Moretti was the only brand to see a rise in its sales with an increase of 14.6% to 458,258hl in volume and 18.3% to £389.3m in value.

Overall figures​

San Miguel, which came in at number eight retaining the same place as last year, saw the lowest decrease with 7.4% to 302,426 in volume and 6% to £222.5m in value.

Stella Artois also retained the number five spot, while Coors came in at number six. Carlsberg Danish Pilsner fell from third to seventh and Tennents Lager moved from nine last year to tenth place this time around.

Overall, the top 10 lager brands sold some 4,507,487hl over the course of this year, despite the challenges posed to the on-trade over the past 12 months.

• All data provided by CGA for the 12 months to 9 October 2021​​