Pubs, bars, and drinks suppliers saw an uptick in sales in the first half of September, NIQ’s latest Daily Drinks Tracker shows.
Average sales in managed venues in the week to Saturday, 5th September, were 7.6% ahead of the same week in 2025, thanks to a combination of good weather and the August Bank Holiday weekend. This was followed by solid growth of 2.5% in the next seven days.
The upswing comes after a difficult August, when extreme heat kept some people away from the on-trade. Sales in the week to Saturday, 29th August, fell 9.7% behind the same week last August. It was a sixth straight negative weekly number since the end of the football World Cup in mid-July, during which fans spent freely in pubs and bars.
The Daily Drinks Tracker, powered by CGA intelligence, indicates that the first fortnight of September was particularly strong for long alcoholic drinks suppliers, as consumers sought refreshment from long serves.
Beer sales were up by 8.4% and 5.7% in the weeks to 5th and 12th September respectively. Cider fared even better, leaping by 13.3% and 7.3%. These two categories were also boosted by an attractive programme of football fixtures in the Premier League and Champions League.
The Tracker’s daily breakdown of trading shows a particularly buoyant August Bank Holiday weekend. Sales on the Sunday and Monday jumped 39.3% and 59.4% ahead of the same days in 2025, though these comparisons are skewed by an earlier bank holiday in 2025. Wednesday, 9th September (up 15.9%) and Thursday, 10th September (up 8.9%) were two other standout days.
After a good start to September, trading slipped back in the third week of the month as cooler and wetter weather moved into many parts of Britain. Average sales in the seven days to Saturday, 19th September were 2% down on the corresponding week in 2025.
“A good start to September will have been a relief to on-premise operators and beer, cider, and soft drinks brands,” said Rachel Weller, NIQ’s commercial lead, UK and Ireland. “It has helped to claw back some of the ground that was lost in August, when extreme heatwaves, a World Cup hangover, and consumers’ watchful spending made for a difficult environment.
“Nevertheless, conditions are likely to remain very challenging as we move towards the crucial final quarter of the year. A lot now hangs on the government’s Budget in October, which is a crucial opportunity to revive the confidence of consumers and hospitality alike.”
