Average sales in managed venues in the seven days to last Saturday (8 June) were 3% behind the equivalent period in 2023—a third consecutive week of negative year-on-year numbers. The week struggled against tough comparisons with June 2023, when temperatures touched the 30s.
The week started well with year-on-year growth on Sunday and Monday (2 and 3 June), but sales were down on all five days from Tuesday to Saturday (4 to 8 June). The weekend was particularly slow, with drops of 5% and 7% on Friday and Saturday as the chilly weather and showers kept many consumers indoors.
For the second week in a row wine was the best performing drinks category, with year-on-year sales growth of 6%—the result of some users opting for food-led occasions rather than drinking out. Beer (down 1%) and cider (down 15%) failed to match the tough comparatives of June 2023. Soft drinks (down 5%) and spirits (down 10%) were also in the red.
“June sales were always going to struggle against the heatwave of 12 months ago, but the cool and damp weather is making year-on-year growth doubly difficult for pubs and bars,” says Jonathan Jones, CGA by NIQ’s managing director, UK and Ireland. “The start of the Euro 2024 tournament should give sales a boost, but a change in the weather is desperately needed to lure people out of home, whether to watch games or enjoy beer gardens and terraces.”
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, or contact Jonathan Jones, CGA by NIQ Managing Director, here.
