Despite the tough trading climate, it’s still a fine year for beer and cider, with sales said to be up in Scottish pubs and bars.
World beers, premium ciders and low and no-alcohol products are said to be among the big success stories – as well as stout, which continues to be on something of an on-trade charge.
Kenny Gray, on-trade sales director for Scotland and Northern Ireland at C&C Group, parent company of Tennent’s, Magners, Heverlee and the recently launched Outcider, said the company has grown volumes ‘across the board’ over the past year.
“Draught beer and cider (notably lager, apple cider and stout) are gaining share of consumer spend in Scotland’s on-trade as consumers are prioritising longer serves that feel like good value for money,” said Gray.
That doesn’t mean customers aren’t prepared to spend on premium brands, however, with Gray stating that even with finances under pressure ‘consumers are still looking for premium options with many opting to scale up and drink less or enjoying them as a treat to mark a special occasion’.
“It’s worth adding a couple of world beers which are continuing to grow in popularity and will enable consumers to trade up should they wish,” he said.
That was supported by CGA figures supplied by Heineken UK, which stated that 22% of Scottish lager drinkers would be prepared to trade up when offered more premium options.
And Spanish lagers, in particular, were said to be in growth in Scottish venues.
“Spanish lagers are in high demand in Scotland, achieving 31% value growth and accounting for one in every five pints (20% value share) sold in the Scottish on-trade,” said Serena Smith, the company’s head of category. “Given the significant demand among drinkers, adding a mainstream or premium Spanish lager to the bar could be a great option for Scottish operators to increase summer sales, if they don’t yet have a Spanish brand in their range.”
John Price, head of marketing at Kingfisher Drinks, was also upbeat about the prospect of customers trading up, as the ‘less but better’ trend continues.
“I think the ongoing cost of living situation is more likely having an impact on the frequency of visits to the on-trade, rather than what’s ordered whilst there,” he said.
“We’ve seen for quite some time now that consumers are following the ‘less, but better’ trend, and still wanting to treat themselves to premium brands when they do go out.”
That willingness to trade up isn’t limited to beer.
John Logue, founder of non-alcoholic cider brand Chance, said that cider also benefits from a continued commitment to enjoying the finer things.
“It’s been a clear trend in beer — that casual Tuesday afternoon pint might be a standard lager, but come Friday night, all sorts of weird and wonderful IPAs, stouts, and experimental brews come out to play,” he said.
“It’s not just about the taste, but also the banter and conversations they spark.
“Cider is no different. It’s an exciting space with endless possibilities—varieties, styles, and flavours to explore. You can enjoy a classic midweek cider, but when the weekend rolls around, why not get adventurous with a niche Cornish scrumpy?”
Smith at Heineken UK said the cider category is ‘the fastest-growing category in the on-trade in the past two years and continues to evolve through serve styles and taste exploration’.
Apple continues to be top dog in the cider field, said Smith, but flavoured cider is helping attract new customers into the category and has ‘an important role to play’ in both draught and packaged formats.
At C&C, Gray said he expects to see cider sales peak in the coming months, from the Easter bank holiday through to August.
“Then at Christmas, mulled cider and warm fruit varieties are growing in popularity,” he said.
“Cider also remains popular with students, so September/October and Freshers is a key occasion for certain operators.
“Ensuring outlets stock the right range of ciders is important to appeal to a range of flavour profiles, for example Outcider, which has a slightly sweeter apple profile and is proving popular amongst 18–30 year-olds.”
Beer, too, has been known to be seasonal in terms of the products customers opt for at different times of year, although recent trends have upset that somewhat, according to Fiona Matheson, marketing manager for Belhaven Brewery.
“Across the beer category customers may choose to go for a golden beer in the warmer months as opposed to a darker, richer beer in the autumn or winter,” she said.
“However, stout as a beer style is something that is becoming popular all year round.”
Another product proving popular all year round is the growing no and low-alcohol segment.
Smith, at Heineken UK, said no and low ‘continues to grow’ in Scotland, with sales having increased by £4 million in the past year alone.
“Engagement in the category is growing across all age groups, as consumers look to balance out drinking sessions with moderation,” she said.
“As with many emerging trends, we are seeing the most engagement among younger drinkers, with 45% of 18–24-year-olds more likely to choose a no and low-alcohol option when drinking out of home.”
Between different beer and cider styles and the growing demand for low and no-alcohol, there are plenty products for operators to choose from, but Crawford Sinclair, commercial director at Innis & Gunn, stressed that a range doesn’t have to be vast in order to be good.
“The right range of beer is more important than a big range,” he said.
“Quality of serve and diversity are at the top of the list if you want to keep customers coming back.”
