Despite the cost of living crisis and mixed weather, beer sales have been consistently solid this year. CGA’s On Premise Measurement (OPM) service shows they have increased by 1.7% in the last 12 months, with food-led and community pubs delivering the biggest volumes. Meanwhile, CGA’s consumer research highlights the value of beer drinkers to the On Premise. More than two in five (42%) of them drink out at least weekly, and the figure has risen by two percentage points in the last year, despite the cost of living pressures.
Visit frequencies are increasing again as Euro 2024 gets into its stride, because beer consumers over-index for watching sport in the On Premise by nine percentage points. The timing of games—mostly in the late afternoons and evenings—is ideal for pubs and bars screening matches.
All this means beer sales are set to soar in June and July—especially if England and Scotland can go deep into the tournament. Here are six more insights from CGA’s expert research to help suppliers make the most of the event.
1 Draft gains more share
Beer sales continue to be dominated by draft, which took 91.4% of category sales in the last 12 months. Draft has increased its share by 0.6 percentage points—partly the result of consumers perceiving more value here than in packaged serves.
2 Stout and premium lager up…
Sub-category winners over the last year include stout and premium lager, which have gained 1.6 and 1.2 percentage points of share respectively. Stout has benefited from its association with sporting occasions and is attracting more young consumers, while premium lager’s gains have been led by strong interest in world lagers.
3 … But cask, keg and standard lager down
Premium lager’s popularity has come at the expense of standard brands, which have lost 2.2 percentage points of lager share in the last 12 months. Cask and keg ale have had their shares trimmed by 0.3 and 0.5 percentage points respectively.
4 No and low continues to grow
As the moderation trend continues, no and low alcohol beer could be a big segment winner in Euro 24. Only stout and premium lager gained more share over the last year, and some consumers perceive it to be a good-value as well as healthy option.
5 Premiumisation continues
Premium lager’s success shows that while price remains an important factor, consumers value quality. Half (50%) of beer consumers say they are likely to pay more for a better quality drink—three percentage points more than a year ago.
6 Brand loyalty and experimentation
More than a third (37%) of lager consumers say they always choose the same brand in the On Premise. However, while loyalty is important, other consumers are keen to try new beer brands, making Euro 2024 an ideal time for activations and trial. Ranges that combine tried-and-trusted beers with appealing new brands will be well placed for success during the tournament.
CGA by NIQ’s unique combination of sales and consumer research provides suppliers with a holistic view of the beer category in Britain’s On Premise. It delivers unrivalled insights into drinkers’ decision-making processes and beer sales by segment, channel, occasion and much more. Contact CGA’s expert team to learn more.