American Craft Beer The Best Craft Beer, Breweries, Bars, Brewpubs, Beer Stores, And Restaurants Serving Serious Beer.
Well that explains everyone we saw staggering around on our last trip to London. And yes this headline borders on ‘clickbait’ but that’s never stopped us in the past.
Here’s the deal…
According to new numbers released by IRI, alcohol was the top selling consumer goods category in UK supermarkets followed by well, food.
It’s true!
Despite alcohol consumption declining steadily worldwide, alcohol has retained its place as the top-grossing consumer goods category in supermarkets according to the latest report from data firm IRI.
In 2017 alcohol grew at a rate of 4.4% and generated £16.1 billion in the UK, far outselling its nearest rival, shelf-safe food (think potato chips) by £660 million, followed by chilled & fresh food (think meat and vegetables) in third place worth £13.5 billion.
The report, which surveyed market share across the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the Netherlands, found that alcohol is growing faster in the UK than anywhere else.
Beer was the leading growth sub-category in the six country survey, showing 6.6% growth in the UK alone.
Premium beers, especially craft beers which have increasingly found shelf space within key retailers, helped drive last year’s sales in most countries, according to IRI.
Sparkling wine did jump beer as was the fastest-moving sub-category in the United Kingdom, with more than 10% growth, while spirits as a whole grew by 5%. Gin also saw a strong upturn, with nearly 25% growth in Great Britain.
“It’s no surprise that we’ve seen strong growth in this category, and particularly in Beer, where brands are moving towards premiumisation, delivering innovation via new flavors, and offering beers and ciders with crafty credentials,” said Olly Abotorabi, senior regional insights manager at IRI.
Overall drinks sales saw an uptick by 5.3% year-on-year, with British consumers spending an extra £142 million on alcohol in the last quarter, than they may have on food.
And besides, beer’s kind of a food…right?
The Clash London Calling image credit: Epic Records
