The latest Daily Drinks Tracker from CGA by NIQ showed average drink sales in managed venues were 9% down during the seven days to Saturday 23 November compared with the same week last year.
Attributed to widespread colder temperatures, the report showed trade was 8% behind 2023 levels on Friday 22 November and 14% as Storm Bert hit parts of Britain.
Weak trading
In between, numbers were between 8% and 11% behind last year on every day from Monday to Thursday (18 to 21 November). Sunday (17 November) was the only day with positive growth.
CGA by NIQ commercial lead UK & Ireland Rachel Weller said: “The combination of patchy consumer confidence and unfavourable weather has extended autumn’s weak trading into Winter.
“More positively, some managed groups continue to generate good growth, and brighter conditions should help to bring more people out to the on premise.”
All major drinks categories recorded year-on-year losses in sales, the Daily Drinks Tracker, released on Friday 29 November, also revealed.
Saving up
Beer (down 5%), cider (down 8%), wine (down 7%) and soft drinks (down 11%) were all impacted by the drop in footfall. Meanwhile spirits sales fell 20%—one of the steepest year-on-year drops of 2024.
Weller continued: “Operators and suppliers will be hoping that a slow November indicates that consumers are saving up for a big spend on Christmas celebrations, rather than a sign of things to come in December.”
The data followed marginal growth of 0.7% in the week to Saturday 16 November, after a 5% downturn at the end of October.
In addition, the most recent CGA RSM Hospitality Business Tracker detailed managed groups saw 0.6% year-on-year uptick in sales in October, marking the fourth month of below inflation growth.
