UK beer sales soar from World Cup fever
Filed under: Economy, Retail, Leisure & hospitality
Quarterly beer sales have climbed for the first time since 2006 according to the British Beer and Pub Association. But sadly it's not about more people returning to their local. More people are drinking their pints at home.Supermarket beer sales soared almost 14%, a 4.4% rise in year-on-year sales, helped in large part to the World Cup and soaring temperatures. Pub beer sales, in comparison, plummeted, down 6.3% on the same period in 2009.
Cheers to footie
The British Beer and Pub Association claims more than 2.2bn pints were sold between April and June. That means beer sales were 625 million pints up on the first quarter and 63 million pints up on the same period in 2009."The World Cup has certainly been a benefit to Britain's beer sector and we can now hope that the market is starting to turn a corner," says Brigid Simmonds, BBPA Chief Executive. However, while there is some reason for cheer, beer sales in pubs are still falling Simmonds acknowledges, and the nation's pubs do need support she says.
Tax break likely?
"The Government must carefully consider how best to use its Review of Alcohol Taxation to rebalance the tax system," Simmonds continues, "freeze beer tax and support Britain's pubs, recognising the economic and social contribution of these vital community assets."She adds: "Sixty per cent of drink sales in community pubs are beer, so a beer tax break would be a real benefit to their business."
Tax breaks for beer in this economic climate, not to mention all the angst about anti-social 'yoof' drinking? You are joking, surely Ms Simmonds?
Links (opens in new window)
Pub beer sales boosted by World Cup - The Publican
All cheers as beer sales soar - UKPA
Beer sales in first rise since 2006 - BBC
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