Up-and-down temperatures and consumers’ ongoing cost concerns have held down on-trade drinks sales in the first half of June.
NIQ’s Daily Drinks Tracker, powered by CGA intelligence, shows sales in the week to Saturday, 6th June, were 1.5% down on the equivalent period in 2025. Over the following week, the gap widened to leave trading 5.1% behind last year.
It’s a reversal to a better fortnight in the second half of May, when sales finished just ahead year on year. The Daily Drinks Tracker has now recorded negative growth in 15 of the first 23 weeks of 2026. It leaves pubs, bars, and suppliers pinning hopes on brighter weather and a boost from the men’s football World Cup in the rest of June and July.
Sales in the first week of June trended in line with the weather, with bursts of sunshine in some places boosting daily takings before cooler and wetter weather moved in to dampen footfall. The periods of higher temperatures made it a good week for soft drinks, with sales up 3% year-on-year, and a reasonable one for cider (up 0.9%) and beer (down 0.2%).
The second week of the month was affected by tough comparisons with a sunny mid-June in 2025. This hampered sales of beer (down 3.1%), cider (down 9.4%), and soft drinks (down 5%).
“The first half of June continues the pattern of a flat 2026 for pubs, bars, and suppliers,” said Rachel Weller, NIQ powered by CGA’s commercial lead, UK &and Ireland. “It’s yet another reminder of how drinks sales are very closely pegged to the weather, and while there have been sunny patches, the conditions have worked against operators in many parts of the country over the spring and summer.
“Pubs and bars with TV screens will now be looking forward to a big upswing in footfall from the World Cup, and hoping for a successful tournament for England and Scotland to keep people visiting.”
