Beer sales continue to slide

28th April 2009, 11:03am

UK beer sales dropped by 8.2 per cent in the first quarter of 2009, compared to the same quarter in 2008, according to the latest UK Quarterly Beer Barometer, published today by the British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA).

This is by far the highest first quarter fall since 1997, and comes just days after the Chancellor announced yet another increase in Beer Tax in the Budget.

The UK Quarterly Beer Barometer shows that 1.7 million fewer pints were drunk every day from January to March, than in the same period in 2008.

Compared with the first quarter ten years ago, 326 million fewer pints were sold across the country– a decline of 3.6 million pints a day.

Beer sales in pubs, bars and restaurants were down 6.3 per cent on the same quarter in 2008 – equating to 753,000 fewer pints every day. In total, 68 million fewer pints were sold in the on-trade during January to March 2009 compared with the same period in 2008.

It was a particularly bad quarter for sales in the off-trade (supermarkets and off licences), with sales down 11.0 per cent. This is the third consecutive quarter in which off-trade sales have fallen. It is the first time since 2005 that first quarter off-trade sales have been lower than in the previous year.

Tax income from duty in January and February was down £17 million on the same period in 2008, despite an 18 per cent tax increase during the period.

David Long, BBPA chief executive said: "These figures provide more telling evidence of the intense pressure in one of Britain's most important sectors. Falling beer sales means more publicans struggling to keep their pub doors open. Closing pubs means tens of thousands of job losses and the heart taken out of many communities.

"With the Budget last week, Government tax policy continues to make this situation worse, despite widespread public and political support for the BBPA/CAMRA Axe the Beer Tax - Save the Pub campaign."

Related Articles:

• 23 Mar 2010 - 67% of British public want Government to scrap beer tax increase
• 31 Aug 2009 - BBPA publishes statistical handbook
• 29 Jul 2009 - Opposition to mandatory alcohol code is growing
• 29 Jul 2009 - Beer sales are beginning to improve, says BBPA
• 22 Jul 2009 - Pub closures rise to record 52 a week
• 01 Jun 2009 - New figures show UK near top of EU beer tax league
• 14 May 2009 - Unite supports pub beer supply investigation
• 13 May 2009 - MPs call for inquiry into 'beer tie' activity
• 29 Apr 2009 - Brakspear Pub Company to absorb Budget tax hike
• 22 Apr 2009 - Industry react angrily to the Budget
• 21 Apr 2009 - 'We have 48 hours to save the pub industry'
• 20 Apr 2009 - 90% of public want taxes reduced or frozen in Budget
• 18 Apr 2009 - Chancellor counts cost of £242 million tax loss from pub closures
• 15 Apr 2009 - MPS oppose beer tax rise
• 08 Apr 2009 - Tax rises will result in pub job losses
• 31 Mar 2009 - Sun advert launches 'Text the Chancellor' campaign
• 13 Mar 2009 - Taxation on pubs has gone too far, says Wetherspoon
• 04 Mar 2009 - Record number of pubs closing
• 02 Mar 2009 - New poll shows public are backing local pubs
• 10 Feb 2009 - Over 100 MPs back the great British pub

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