Soft drinks powering sales in January
According to the tracker, average sales by value were 11% up year-on-year across Britain’s on-premise, with six of the seven days in double-digit growth and above the current 10.5% rate of inflation.
Comparisons peaked on Sunday 15 January, when they were 17% up compared with the same day last year.
Though the strong start to 2023 has been set against tough trading conditions in January 2022, when many consumers stayed away from hospitality due to concerns around the Omicron variant of Covid.
Difficult comparisons
CGA managing director UK and Ireland Johnathan Jones said: “With year-on-year growth topping inflation so far in January, it’s clear that consumers are as keen as ever to drink out.
“However, it’s important to remember comparisons are with a very difficult January 2022, so more year-on-year growth is far from certain in the months ahead.”
This comes as previous trackers showed 24% growth in the first week of January and 13% growth in the second week.
Category wise, soft drinks comfortably outpaced the market, with sales 18% ahead of last year, while beer (up 14%), cider (up 15%) and wine (up 15%) all had good weeks too.
Spending carefully
However, the spirits category (down 3%) had its worst seven days since November.
This follows calls from the British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA) for consumers to head to their local regardless of what they order at the bar, with many new ranges of “delicious” no alcohol options having been developed over the past few years.
Jones added: “The dip in spirits sales suggests many consumers are watching their spending carefully.
“[But] good soft drinks sales show [sober pledges] don’t have to keep people away from pubs and bars, and it reflects the rising quality and innovation in this category.”
