The exclusive research is indispensable for suppliers seeking to gauge consumer sentiment and forecast demand. Alongside insights from CGA’s On Premise Measurement (OPM) service, it helps businesses respond quickly to opportunities and market challenges as they emerge. In 2023, OPUS called out five key trends to watch in 2024—and OPM data reveals the accuracy of those forecasts.
The preservation of the treat occasion
The OPUS survey showed how high costs were forcing some consumers to reduce their On Premise visits, and total drinks volumes dropped 6.3% in the last 12 months as a result—but sales by value grew 4.6%. This is a sign that while people are drinking less, they’re paying more and saving their money for special occasions.
Increased staycations to boost city centres
The cost of living crisis has also led many Irish consumers to take domestic rather than overseas holidays. Two in five (42%) claim that they are more likely to take a vacation locally, leading to a solid summer of trading in big cities. OPM shows Dublin and Cork increased their share of drinks sales year-on-year by 0.5 and 0.4 percentage points respectively.
Positive conditions for stout growth in March
With the tailwinds of both St Patrick’s Day and the Six Nations, stout sales flourished in March. OPUS indicated that 40% and 50% of consumers planned to enjoy these occasions in the On Premise, and as a result stout’s RoS in March was 22% higher than the average over the first six months of 2024. Stout added 1 percentage point of the Long Alcoholic Drinks (LAD) category, at the expense of lager and ale.
‘Sober-curious’ to drive no and low and soft drinks
A third of consumers said that they planned to drink no and low alcohol drinks more frequently this year—a higher total than in any category. This led to 15.6% growth in the value of no and low alcohol beer sales in the last year. Meanwhile, soft drinks benefitted from Dry January after 42% of consumers said they planned to drink less or no alcohol, with their share of drinks sales rising to 7.9% that month. High interest in these two categories has also led many suppliers to invest heavily in new product launches.
Pubs to benefit from prioritisation of regular visits
OPUS indicated that many consumers were keen to prioritise pubs for their spending this year. A fifth (21%) said they would make more visits to pubs—3 percentage points more than restaurants. This led pubs to grow their share of drinks sales by 0.8 percentage points, while restaurants lost 0.7 percentage points.
Katie Lawton, CGA by NIQ’s senior client manager, Ireland, said: “The cost of living crisis and high levels of competition have made it tricky to predict demand in Ireland’s On Premise. With category, occasion and channel preferences in such flux, it’s vital to invest in expert understanding of what consumers want and how they’re spending their money. Our OPUS service has a superb track record of accurately predicting growth opportunities, and it’s here to help all businesses stay ahead of the curve over the rest of 2024 and beyond.”
Katie Lawton, CGA by NIQ’s senior client manager, Ireland, said: “The cost of living crisis and high levels of competition have made it tricky to predict demand in Ireland’s On Premise. With category, occasion and channel preferences in such flux, it’s vital to invest in expert understanding of what consumers want and how they’re spending their money. Our OPUS service has a superb track record of accurately predicting growth opportunities, and it’s here to help all businesses stay ahead of the curve over the rest of 2024 and beyond.”
CGA by NIQ’s On Premise solutions provide many more insights into consumers’ engagement and purchasing decisions across all channels in Ireland, plus an expert analysis of categories, occasions and much more. To learn more about OPUS, OPM and other services, and to explore opportunities for tailored analysis, contact Katie Lawton.
