Average drinks sales in managed venues jumped by as much as 9% during the four-day heatwave compared to the same period in 2019, according to CGA’s Drinks Recovery Tracker.
Sales were 1% on either side of pre-pandemic levels on Saturday 16 and Sunday 17 July, but rose 9% ahead on Monday 18 July compared to the same day in 2019. Cider sales skyrocketed – reaching a high of 55% up on 2019 on Monday – while beer and spirit sales were also in double-digit growth on the same day.
Sales fell back 12% on Tuesday 19 July as temperatures hit record levels and some operators made decisions to close venues due to the extreme heat. Over 72% of pubs have outdoor spaces while over 26,000 sites have beer gardens, patios, terraces, or other external areas, according to CGA.
Soft drinks were down throughout the four-day period, with wine sales down between 22-35% on each of the days.
MD Jonathan Jones said: “Drinks sales typically get a lift when the sun shines, but at times the temperatures have been just too high to lure people out to pubs, bars and restaurants,” said Jonathan Jones, CGA’s managing director, UK and Ireland.
“With mounting pressure on consumer spending, the weather may also have tempted some to save money by drinking at home in the garden instead and guarantee that they could enjoy the heatwave outside. Even when the sun shines, it is clear that while some venues flourish, others will continue to find it difficult to generate meaningful sales growth in real terms.”
