UK’s on-trade sparkling wine sales rocket
Sparkling wine sales (excluding Champagne) in the UK on-trade seem to be enjoying a huge boost in sales, nearly doubling in the space of just 12 months according to the latest figures from the Wine & Spirits Trade Association there.
The WSTA reports an 82% growth in on-trade sparkling wine sales values reflecting a 16% rise in volumes over the course of the 12 months to the last week of January this year.
At the same time on-trade sales of Champagne grew 18% in value and 14% in volume in the UK. (In contrast, total sparkling wine and Champagne sales here fell 2.2% in 2014.)
However the UK’s on-trade wine sales fell 2% in volume and 1% in value.
France continues to dominate country of origin sales there with Italy taking second place and Australia third. The only three countries experiencing on-trade wine sales growth in the UK are France, South Africa and New Zealand.
On-trade spirits
Despite a fall of 4% in volumes, spirits’ on-trade sales values grew 1% in the year to the end of January.
The biggest on-trade volume growth over the year was in the Tequila category which indicated growth of 17% in volume representing a growth in value of 27%.
Gin too fared well in the UK on-trade, up 8% in volume and 16% in value.
Despite a volume decline of 5% on-trade whisk(e)y witnessed a value increase of 3% at a time when vodka sales fell by 6% in volume and by 1% in value.
Sales of rum offered a more positive scenario with on-trade sales of golden rum – at 20,000 Hectolires – looking as if they’ll overtake those of white rum at 21,000 Hl soon. Golden rum grew on-trade sales volumes 10% over the year while white rum sales declined 9%. Dark rum too grew sales volumes by 6% during this time.
As white rum saw a 5% decline in on-trade sales value, golden rums grew 14% and dark rums by 12%.
