Brits drank less over the New Year but despite the start of ‘Dry January’, sales in 2024 have started robustly, industry data has indicated.
Drink sales during New Year’s Eve were up 0.2% on 2022 figures, while New Year’s Day saw trading fall by 1%, research from the CGA revealed.
However, in the following days (2 and 3 January) drink sales experienced a 4% and 13% year-on-year jump, respectively.
Cold weather, shallower pockets, and the return to work for most meant that sales only grew by 5% on Friday 5 January.
In the week’s build-up to Christmas average drink sales rose 9% year-on-year, with beer and cider jumping by 12%.
During the week from Christmas Eve to 30 December, drink sales rose by 6%, meaning both weeks of trade comfortably outperformed the 4% rate of inflation.
“After a positive festive season, pubs, bars and suppliers start 2024 with some decent momentum,” says Jonathan Jones, CGA by NIQ’s managing director of UK and Ireland.
“As many people rein in their spending and follow Dry January, it is likely to be a slow start to the year for some businesses, but with signs of an easing in inflation and interest rates we can be optimistic that consumer confidence will start to pick up.”