On-trade

One in five consumers visited the Irish on-trade to celebrate Father’s Day last year

Consumers who go out for Father’s Day are higher frequency visitors to the on-trade as a whole
“Today, sales in Irish pubs across the US are facing bigger challenges than ever.”

As a demographic group, fathers are important to hospitality venues

CGA by NIQ’s OPUS Ireland 2022 revealed that one in five consumers visited the Irish on-trade to celebrate Father’s Day, meaning its more popular than Easter and Halloween for going out.

What’s more, a deeper dive into the paternal relationship with the on-trade underlines the value of fathers as a potentially lucrative consumer group.

In terms of the day itself, consumers who go out for Father’s Day are higher frequency visitors to the on-trade as a whole. In fact, 46% of them go out every week. They are also generally more inclined to visit bars and pubs with a food focus, for special occasions, and for everyday eating out.

As a demographic group, fathers represent even more of a prize to hospitality venues. Over half go out every week, which is 12% more than average consumers. Plus, their monthly spend on eating and drinking out is 22% higher than average.

So what are dads drinking when they visiting the on-trade? They are more likely to drink beer in the on-trade than the average consumer (+21pp). In addition, they have distinctive tastes within the beer category, with more (+5pp) preferring domestic brands, and over a third drinking craft beers.

On top of their preference for heritage and artisanal beers, premiumisation is also at play. There is a higher likelihood of fathers ordering premium domestic beers (4%), with a quarter only drinking these. Conversely, two thirds drink premium and value products, reflecting that variety is key to winning over this invaluable demographic.

Moreover, dads are supremely loyal to Irish beer brands, with 76% saying they drink this category practically every time they go out. This allegiance extends to their chosen brands, too, with ‘my favourite brand’ of domestic beer being the single most driving factor when placing their orders at the bar.

In terms of how frequently they indulge in their favourite tipples, fathers are 11% more likely to opt for craft beers during most visits. On top of this, they have the highest propensity for drinking Craft Porters and Imperial Stouts, based on the ‘traditional flavour’ of these drinks.

“Father’s Day itself is a mid-range annual occasion for driving business in the on-trade in Northern and the Republic of Ireland. It ranks below key celebrations, such as Christmas and Valentine’s, but it’s bigger than Easter and Halloween, making it a worthwhile occasion for brands and operators to put in place specific activations and promotions,” said Sian Brennan, client director, CGA Ireland.

“Perhaps more interestingly than the day itself is the overall year-round value of this demographic to bars and pubs. Not only are Dads above average visitors to the on-trade, they are open to new premium beers, especially in the domestic and craft arenas, plus premiumisation of their existing favourites. As a result, fathers are a prime audience for optimising spend per wallet, bearing in mind their above average frequency of visits to the on-trade, alongside their appetite for higher quality beers.”

The On Premise User Survey (OPUS) report provides many more insights into consumers’ engagement with the beer category in Ireland, including channels, occasions and serves. They help suppliers and operators identify opportunities and sharpen sales and promotional tactics in pubs, bars and restaurants across Ireland and Northern Ireland.


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