Bursts of warm weather helped on-trade operators and suppliers to bring drinks sales level year-on-year in late July, CGA by NIQ’s latest Daily Drinks Tracker shows.
Average sales in managed venues in the week to Saturday, 26th July, were exactly in line with the same week in 2024, with growth on four of the seven days.
Year-on-year increases peaked at 3% and 4% on Thursday 24th and Friday 25th respectively, coinciding with particularly high temperatures in London and the South East.
While the day of the women’s Euro 2025 football tournament final (Sunday, 27th July) is not included in this comparison, England’s success in the competition has had a positive impact on some venues.
Sunshine across the week boosted long alcoholic drinks categories as consumers sought refreshment in longer serves. Beer sales were 4% higher than in 2024, while cider rose 3%. Soft drinks were level, but spirits fell by 5% and wine by 10%, extending a more challenging summer for these two categories.
Trading comparisons in the previous seven days — to Saturday, 19th July — were distorted by the men’s Euro 2024 tournament, as England’s involvement in the final led to a sharp spike in sales. However, there was year-on-year growth on four of the other six days of the week, and widespread good weather raised sales by 19% on Monday, 14th July.
The latest fortnight completes an up-and-down July for the on-trade, after negative trading in the first week of the month but a positive recovery in the second. The figures are also in line with a flat June for managed hospitality groups, as revealed by the CGA RSM Hospitality Business Tracker.
“When we strip out the bonanza of the Euro 24 tournament from the comparisons, it was a solid July for many pubs, bars, and suppliers,” said Rachel Weller CGA by NIQ’s commercial lead, UK and Ireland.
“While growth hasn’t been spectacular, businesses have at least been able to keep pace year on year and recoup some of the extra labour costs imposed from April.
“The trading environment remains challenging, but there’s a mood of cautious confidence about a positive school holiday season in August and some momentum as we move towards the final third of the year.”
