1 Solid share gains
LAD has been the only major drinks category to grow its share of the British market year-on-year, picking up 0.5 percentage points from other segments. It is comfortably the biggest category, with a 71.8% split of total volumes. There was a more modest 0.1 percentage point gain in Ireland.
2 Stout leads growth
LAD standouts this year have included stout, which outpaced all other segments by adding 1.8 percentage points of category share year-on-year. It now attracts 10.5% of all LAD volumes in Britain. Gains were nearly as big in Ireland at 1.6 percentage points, and the number of beer consumers who drink it there has jumped 12 percentage points year-on-year.
3 Premiumisation in world lager and cider
Other hotspots for growth in Britain have included premium cider and premium world lager, which have added 0.5 and 1.5 percentage points of share respectively. While some consumers are keeping a close eye on their spending, many LAD drinkers remain happy to trade up their choices. Premium world lager is now LAD’s biggest sub-category, with more than a quarter of total volumes.
4 Health drives no and low
No and low alcohol beers have been a growth area for many years now, and health awareness has sustained that trend into 2025. This segment increased volume share in Britain by 0.3 percentage points year-on-year, and sales have doubled in just two years. Consumption has risen in Ireland as well.
5 Independents lead growth
It’s been a particularly strong year in LAD for independent venues, which added 0.4 percentage points of volumes and now attract 38.0% of the category’s sales. Managed outlets have added 0.2 percentage points, with both channels taking share from leased and tenanted channels.
6 Community pubs take share
CGA by NIQ’s analysis shows channels’ share of LAD remained generally stable in Britain year-on-year, though community pubs added 0.3 percentage points—partly at the expense of nightclubs and sports or social clubs. In Ireland, pubs picked up 1.0 percentage points of sales by value, while restaurants dipped 0.8 percentage points.
7 London leads
Region-wise, London has Britain’s biggest share of LAD volumes at 14.2%. It has grown its split fractionally year-on-year—as have regions including Lancashire, the East and South West, while Yorkshire and the South and South East have shed a little share.
8 Engaged drinkers
CGA’s On Premise User Survey in Britain shows LAD drinkers are some of the On Premise’s most engaged users. Two in five (40%) of them drink out at least weekly—7 percentage points more than the 33% average among all consumers.
9 Price in focus
Many drinkers are eager to premiumise, but the cost of living crisis has brought price into sharp focus. In CGA’s latest BrandTrack survey, more than two in five (42%) lager consumers said price was a driving factor of their choice, making it much more important than influences like quality, range and visibility.
10 Perceptions of value
While cost is a big factor, the majority of LAD consumers are satisfied they get a decent return on their spend. Well over half (57%) view premium lager as good or very good value for money, and the figure rises to 67% for stout.
Lucrezia Morris, CGA by NIQ’s insight director, said: “It’s been a solid first half of 2025 for the LAD category in Britain and Ireland, and gains for premium and stout brands are an encouraging sign of consumer confidence. However, in a competitive market where many people remain cautious about their spending, suppliers and operators will need to be at the top of their game to achieve volume growth. It will be crucial to stay laser-focused on the preferences, habits and motivators of LAD drinkers and flex activations accordingly.”
Lucrezia Morris, CGA by NIQ’s insight director, said: “
CGA by NIQ’s suite of sales measurement and consumer research solutions provide an unrivalled and holistic view of the LAD category in the On Premise across Britain and Ireland, helping suppliers optimise their strategies by channel, segment, region and more. To discuss opportunities for expert analysis, Contact the team for more information.
