Hike in beer sales thanks to World Cup and good weather

30th July 2010, 8:35am

Beer has enjoyed the first like-for-like quarterly increase in sales for four years, according to the latest UK Quarterly Beer Barometer.

Beer sales in the second quarter were up by 2.9% on last year; the first like-for-like quarterly rise since the second quarter of 2006.

More than 2.2 billion pints were sold during April to June, the best performance since the fourth quarter of 2008, with the World Cup providing a welcome boost. Beer sales were 625 million pints up on the first quarter and 63 million pints up on the same period in 2009.

Pub beer sales were down 6.3% on the same period in 2009.  However, sales were 166 million pints up on the first three months of 2010, the first rise since the second quarter of 2009. Almost 1.1 billion pints were sold in pubs during April to June compared with 923 million in January to March.

With the Treasury currently conducting a Review of Alcohol Taxation, the British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA) believes these pub beer sales figures make a good case for a sustained freeze in beer tax in order to help community pubs, which the coalition Government has pledged to support in the tax review.

Brigid Simmonds, BBPA chief executive, commented: "The World Cup has certainly been a benefit to Britain's beer sector and we can now hope that the market is starting to turn a corner. 

"However, while there is some reason for cheer, it has to be noted that beer sales in pubs are still falling and the nation's pubs need support. The Government must carefully consider how best to use its Review of Alcohol Taxation to rebalance the tax system, freeze beer tax and support Britain's pubs, recognising the economic and social contribution of these vital community assets.

"Sixty per cent of drink sales in community pubs are beer, so a beer tax break would be a real benefit to their business."

Related Articles:

• 11 Jun 2010 - Footy fans team up with pubs to tackle beer tax plans
• 02 Jun 2010 - BBPA issues guidance to pubs for World Cup
• 21 May 2010 - Pub beer sales drop by 8.8%, says BBPA
• 04 Feb 2010 - Pubs are still closing but at a slower rate, says BBPA
• 28 Jan 2010 - Beer sales could be improving, says BBPA

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