Good Christmas for off-trade
“There seemed to be confidence back in the choices made” he told Drinks Industry Ireland, “and people seemed to have a bit more for that extra bit of quality. Most have a positive view on last December versus previous ones.”
A major feature of the improved Christmas sales must have been the good weather, he continued.
The season seemed to start strongly with an upbeat start to December as off-sales set off at a gallop, “… but there was some wobble on the third week when bad weather hit and the company parties took place,” he said, “But normal service recommenced on Christmas week and drove on right through to New Year’s Eve.
“A lot of local business was done and with the bad weather over Christmas a lot of people stayed local and didn’t go to their holiday homes, for example.”
And January had not been as quiet as last January following the Christmas spend, he added.
“People didn’t go overboard this year as they might have done previously,” he said.
“Craft beers are also bringing customers back into our members’ outlets for seasonal beers etc which enjoy a good margin.”
