Pubs and restaurants can gain market share from nightclubs by recommending spirits suggestions alongside food, but still need to overcome challenges about consumer perceptions of price, ABV and units per drink, according to CGA Strategy.
“Even though 86% of spirit drinkers go out more than once a month and late night venues have been historic heartland for spirits sales, there are opportunities elsewhere and pubs and restaurants are becoming increasingly important for spirits,” said CGA Strategy client services director Rachel Perryman.
“Restaurants and pubs increasingly transcend all occasions but there is still some convincing to do about how well spirits go with food. Breaking habitual nature of consumer is most likely during a special celebration or when out for a meal,” said Perryman, who explained that “tapping into treat mentality” as well as making more of presenting cocktail suggestions alongside dishes could boost sales.
Consumers are “pre-disposed to explore menus when out for a meal” and so outlets need to “understand consumer’s decision-making factors to sell more spirits,” she added, pointing out how even though “consumers remain very price conscious, but it’s all about perception of value. There is a clear need for some myth-busting around price and ABV” and “unit de-mystification is key for stretching spirits consumption into earlier day parts.”
