Category Analysis: Beer & Lager

The off trade beer & lager market is up on last year in the latest four weeks to 20 April, by 1.5% in line with the wider food market, but growth has slowed, with the latest 12M value sales up just 4.5% on last year.

Volume sales dipped in the latest four weeks vs last year, falling by 3.9%, meaning the latest four week’s performance is worse than the 12M performance, however, average volume price remained above last year, up 5.7% in the latest four weeks.

Beer & lager inflation is reducing more slowly than in the wider market. In contrast to the broader food market, beer & lager isn’t seeing a significant acceleration in promotional investment, with investment as proportion of value sales down in the latest four weeks vs last year, where in food it was 0.7PP higher than last year in the latest four weeks continuing its upward trajectory.

Over the last 12 months, the symbols and independent channel has performed behind the market up just 2.8% versus last year versus the market growth of 4.5%, as a result the channel has lost share over the L12M notably to the forecourts and travel channel which continues to grow strongly. The last four weeks, sees a better performance for symbols and independents with value sales growth at 1.8% vs last year marginally ahead of the market, the channel grew its market share by 0.1PP, however, symbols and independents lost share in the convenience market with both major multiple grocer convenience and forecourts & travel growing more strongly, with the former up 3.7% and the latter 7.8% versus last year in the last four weeks.