Off-trade alcohol prices fall 2.8%

The price of alcohol in shops and supermarkets fell by 2.8% in the 12 months to the end of March according to CSO figures.

The fall comprised a rise of 0.7% in spirits and falls of 2.9% and 3.6% for wine and beer respectively.

Over the course of the month from February 2015 alcohol prices level-pegged in March with a 1.0% fall in spirits prices, a 0.5% fall in beer prices and a 0.5% increase in wine prices.

In the on-trade prices in licensed premises rose by 0.3% in the year to the end of March comprising a 0.2% rise in spirits prices, a 0.4% rise in wine prices and a 0.3% rise in both beer prices and soft drinks & mineral water prices.

Compared with the previous month, February, March prices level-pegged in the on-trade with only spirits indicating a decrease of 0.1% in price.