Off-trade beer sales have risen for the first time in a year, according to figures released today by the British Beer & Pub Association.
Overall volume sales of beer fell 2.9% in the first three months of 2013 compared with the same period a year ago. The decline was driven by a 5.5% slump in on-trade sales to 2.97 million barrels, while sales through supermarkets and off-licences crept up 0.1% to 2.60 million barrels. The last time off-trade beer sales rose was in Q1 last year, when the number of barrels sold rose 4.6% year-on-year to 2.59 million barrels.
The BBPA said the fall in pub sales reflected the downward trend in the on-trade, and was the equivalent to Brits downing almost 50 million fewer pints than they did in Q1 2012. The Association added that the cut in beer duty and abolition of the beer duty escalator announced in last month’s Budget should help pubs.
“The figures show the Chancellor was right to cut Beer Duty and abolish the escalator, given the huge tax rises in recent years,” said BBPA chief executive Brigid Simmonds. “We would hope to see the benefits in second-quarter sales, when brewers, pubs and pubgoers will see beer tax rates at nearly 7% lower than they were due to be. The duty cut will encourage brewers and pubs to invest and create jobs.”
Conservative MP Andrew Griffiths, chairman of the All Party Parliamentary Beer Group, echoed Simmonds’ views. “These figures show just how important it is that the Treasury supports the brewing industry,” he said. “By scrapping the beer duty escalator and cutting beer duty for the first time since 1959, I am sure the Coalition government is giving the brewing industry a shot in the arm and that this will lead to growth in the sector in the future.”
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