The data also showed for the third week in a row, the tracker has been just ahead of three years ago, however, high compound inflation since 2019 meant sales were still behind pre-Covid levels in real terms.
CGA managing director UK and Ireland Johnathan Jones said: “Three consecutive weeks of growth are a positive sign for the on premise for the rest of 2022.
Big challenges
“However, with rising costs squeezing both consumers’ spending and operators’ margins, there are some big challenges as well as opportunities ahead.”
Sales of spirits saw the biggest growth (14%) alongside soft drinks (3%) with both beer and cider having seen a growth of 2%.
However, the wine category continued to struggle with a decline of 11%.
After a mixed start to the week, sales bounced back as temperatures rose towards the weekend with trading up 8% on Wednesday (4 May) compared with the same day in 2019, while Thursday (5 May) and Saturday (7 May) saw uplifts of 19% and 7% respectively.
Building momentum
Scotland in particular saw improved growth (3%) with its best week of the year so far as trading rocketed on the Thursday (26%).
This was in part thanks in part to football match, Rangers’ vs RB Leipzig, in the Europa League, and with Rangers and Liverpool now in the Europa and Champion’s League finals, more football-linked boosts could be seen in the next few weeks.
Jones added: “With more good weather forecast and the Bank Holiday and Queen’s Jubilee weekends looming, we can be optimistic that momentum will build.”
