UK’s beer sales up

For the first time in 10 years British beer sales increased in the last two consecutive quarters of 2013 – by 5.2% and 0.8% respectively - according to the British Beer & Pub Association’s latest quarterly Beer Barometer figures.

 

The increase in sales follows the UK Chancellor’s cut in Beer Duty in last year’s Budget – the first such cut in 50 years – and strengthens calls for a duty freeze in the March Budget, says the BBPA.

“These figures demonstrate that cutting beer duty helps increase beer sales, stimulates industry investment and saves jobs,” commented BBPA Chief Executive Brigid Simmonds, “We hope the Chancellor takes note and freezes beer duty in his next Budget to give a further boost to British beer and pubs.”

The UK’s 2014 Budget takes place on the 19th March.

The BBPA is the UK’s leading organisation representing the brewing and pub sector. Its members account for 96 per cent of the beer brewed in the UK and around half of Britain’s 49,500 pubs.

The overall annual figures indicate that UK beer sales fell 0.4% MAT to December 2013 as on-trade beer sales reduced their rate of decline to 3.6%. Off-trade sales showed a decline of 3.2% MAT to December although the final quarter’s off-trade beer sales increase of 3.9% contributed to 2013’s off-trade sales beating 2012 levels by 419,000 barrels.