Prices in licensed premises rose 0.4 per cent
This is thought to be due to a recovery in prices for wine, spirits and beer sold in off-licences and supermarkets following the end of special offers and higher tobacco prices. In the month, off-trade alcoholic beverage prices increased by 4.7 per cent while tobacco prices rose by 2.5 per cent.
Off-trade price increases were recorded for Spirits (8.9 per cent), Wine (6.5 per cent) and Beer (0.8 per cent) in January 2012 compared to December 2011. Over the year, off-trade prices for alcoholic beverages showed a drop of 0.7 per cent comprising a 0.4 per cent drop in Spirits prices, a 0.5 per cent rise in Wine prices and a 0.9 per cent drop in Beer prices.
Overall alcohol prices (both on- and off-trade) were up 0.2 per cent on January 2011, up by 0.6 per cent for the three-month period and by 1.9 per cent over the December figure.
In the on-trade, prices in licensed premises rose by 0.9 per cent. Wine prices rose 1.0 per cent over the previous month, December, while Beer and Spirits prices went up by 0.9 per cent. Soft Drinks & Mineral Water prices rose 0.6 per cent in the month. Over the year, prices in licensed premises rose 0.4 per cent comprising a 0.8 per cent rise in Spirits prices, a 0.3 per cent rise in Wine prices and a 0.4 per cent rise in Beer prices while Soft Drinks & Mineral Waters saw a 0.2 per cent decline in prices.
Consumer prices generally were up by 2.2 per cent compared with January 2011 while they were down 0.5 per cent compared with December 2011
