Overall on-trade sales of cider and perry have seen growth in value (+2.4%) and volume (+0.3%), however the popularity of pear cider has slid significantly, according to the third annual Westons Cider Report 2018.
Total sales are now worth £1.86bn, with growth being driven by fruit cider, draught cider and crafted cider.
Fruit cider volume accounted for 36% of all cider sales – up 10.1% volume and 11.5% in value, to £714.9m. Westons put the increases down to the growth in draft variants – however there is evidence that draft fruit cider is beginning to cannibalise packaged fruit cider.
Draught fruit cider, which previously had seen triple digit value and volume growth, slowed down to 38% volume growth and 41.4% value growth. Apple cider saw declines in both value and volume of 1.6% and 3.7%, respectively.
Matthew Langley, Insight and Innovation Manager at Westons Cider, said: “Fruit cider has grown by 338% in the last 12 years to represent 27% of the overall category across the on and off trade in 2017, so we are predicting that it will account for almost half of all cider sales by 2023 if current growth continues at the same rate.”
In comparison, sales of value white cider have fallen by 2.6% in both volume and value across all channels, over the past year, while pear cider has seen on trade volumes down 22.6%, and now accounts for just 2% of all cider sales.
“Despite these steep declines across both the on and off trade, pear cider continues to enjoy significant and widespread distribution, suggesting that some operators and retailers have not yet caught up with the consumer, who moved on from pear cider some time ago,” said Langley.
The report also highlighted the growing demand for low and no alcohol products, suggesting there is an opportunity for operators to capitalise on the health and wellness trend.
“Low and no alcohol products are rising in credibility and acceptance and are now seen by consumers as a positive discovery choice based on taste, flavour and experience rather than just having to choose something when ‘you’re not drinking’,” added Langley.
The report added that with 51% of on-trade cider drinkers saying they prefer packaged cider, “there is a clear opportunity for many operators to build sales of packaged cider”.
In terms of regional trends, London was the only region in the report not to experience growth in value sales of cider (down -3.3%), driven by a steep value decline in sales of pear cider (down – 39.8%) and packaged cider (down -7.6%).
Scotland, Anglia, and the North East have seen the largest year-on-year volume growth in cider, up 4.6%, 4.4% and 3.8%, respectively.
The average price of a pint of cider has increased by eight pence to £3.68, in the past year.
