Beer and cider sales were up 6.3% in the off-trade in the year up to 25 February 2018, according to Kantar Worldpanel.
According to Kantar, 37% of British adults drink lager (18.9 million people) and 22% (11.3 million) drink bitter, ale, mild or stout.
Lager is up 5.1%, ale is up 7.7% and stout is up 11.6%, with value outpacing volume as average prices rise.
Promotions are decreasing, with 6.6% fewer promotion-based purchases in the last year.
More than 1.4m UK households bought a no or low alcohol beer in the last year – a 57% increase on two years ago.
Cider was one of the fastest-growing alcohol categories in the last 52 weeks, with value growing 7.5% and volume growing 5.9%, thanks to the popularity of large multipacks.
Kantar said 36% of lager drinkers consumer bitter, ale, mild or stout, while 59% of bitter, ale, mild, stout drinkers consume lager.
Lager drinkers are a third more likely to be male while drinkers of ale, bitter, mild or stout, who are 61% more likely to be male, and 30% more likely to be aged 55+.”
Lager drinkers are 29% more likely to try new drinks, versus 14% for ale, bitter, mild, stout drinkers.
Beer drinkers are 71% more likely to agree that it’s worth paying extra for good quality beer, compared to 47% for lager drinkers.
