Draught sales up but packaged still matters in on-trade

Demand for draught beer has returned strongly since Covid-19 restrictions were eased, research from market insight consultants CGA shows—but packaged products have an increasingly important role as Summer approaches.

 

CGA’s On Premise Measurement data shows that draught serves have increased their share of the Lager segment by six percentage points from 2020, as a result of consumers choosing draught beers that they weren’t able to recreate at home during Lockdowns.

However, packaged Lagers still account for one in 10 on-trade serves and CGA’s Opus survey shows that over a third (39%) of Lager drinkers consume packaged product when out. This is much lower than the 73% of drinkers who choose draught—but it shows that packaged brands remain an essential part of drinkers’ repertoires.

The Opus survey also shows how they’re particularly appealing to female Lager drinkers, more than half (52%) of whom buy packaged options. They’re also likely to become more popular over the Summer.

CGA’s OPM data shows packaged products over-index on their share of the beer and cider markets from June to August, relative to the rest of the year.

“After months of being limited to packaged Lager at home, it’s no surprise to find that drinkers have embraced draught serves since pubs and bars reopened,” says CGA’s Client Director for Ireland Sian Brennan, “However, while the focus at the moment is on the front of the bar, there will be major potential to grow packaged sales over the next few months—especially if the sun shines and pent-up demand for drinking out is released after restricted Summers in 2020 and 2021. Monitoring trends and the preferences of beer drinkers—especially female ones, who’re more pre-disposed to packaged brands—will be crucial to growing market share.”