Average drinks sales in managed On Premise venues in the week to Saturday 6 September were 1.3% ahead of the same period in 2024. This follows growth
of 0.4% in the previous week to Saturday 30 August, and of 1.9% in the seven days to Saturday 23 August.
The latest numbers conclude a reasonable summer of trading in the On Premise. After periods of slow trading in May and June, sustained spells of sunshine had a positive effect on LAD categories in particular through July and August. Sales have now been ahead year-on-year for five of the last six weeks—though all of the increases have been below the UK’s 3.8% rate of inflation, as measured by the Consumer Prices Index.
The Tracker shows daily sales beat the equivalent days in 2024 on eight days of the latest fortnight, while dropping
on six—a sign of the up-and-down nature of trading at the moment. Spikes in growth coincided with high temperatures, and England’s football World Cup qualifier against Andorra on Saturday 6 September helped to deliver a 3.8% boost.
As was the case throughout the Summer, LAD categories powered year-on-year increases. Beer sales rose by 2.2% and 3.4% over the weeks to 30 August and 6 September respectively. Cider had an even better fortnight, beating inflation with growth of 5.8% and 3.9%. Soft drinks were another notable winner, rising 3.9% and 3.1%.
However, trading comparisons in the wine and spirits categories were much weaker. Wine sales dropped by 8.3% and 4.8% over the two weeks, while spirits slipped 4.1% and 3.8%. The switch from these categories to LAD segments partly reflects decisions by some consumers to seek more value in longer serves, especially when the sun shines.
Rachel Weller, CGA by NIQ’s commercial lead, UK & Ireland, said: “Five weeks of year-on-year growth out of six represents a solid late Summer and early Autumn for On Premise supplies and operators—especially in LAD categories. However, with inflation still relatively high, real-terms growth is proving challenging. Alongside sharp increases in costs, it is adding to the pressure on some businesses’ bottom lines, and the trading environment is unlikely to improve any time soon. Nevertheless, there are still plenty of growth opportunities for brands and venues with the right positioning in the crucial last few months of 2025.”
Rachel Weller, CGA by NIQ’s commercial lead, UK & Ireland, said:
The Daily Drinks Tracker provides analysis of sales at managed licensed premises across Britain and is part of CGA by NIQ’s suite of research services delivering in-depth data on category, supplier and brand rate of sale performance. To learn more, click here and contact the CGA by NIQ team.
