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Sponsored article: Christmas all wrapped up with Tennent’s Direct

November 5, 2025

Advertorial – this article contains paid-for content supplied by Tennent’s Direct

Tennent’s On Trade Sales Director Kenny Gray

On Trade Sales Director Kenny Gray offers advice to operators on how to prepare for the festive season ahead…

With Christmas less than two months away there will be lots for operators to be thinking about as they prepare for one of the busiest trading periods of the year.

Last year 56 million (1) drinks were sold in the four weeks to Christmas, 28% (2) higher than the rest of the year so it’s a key time for venues to be thinking about their range and how best to appeal to the different needs the festive season brings.

What to stock

Operators should think about their beer, wine and spirits (BWS) offering first off with these categories accounting for 95% of the drinks sold at Christmas (1).

Beer is continuing to gain share of consumer spend in Scotland’s on trade and much like the rest of the year it will remain a popular choice over the festive period as people seek sessionable options when out and about.

Ensuring popular brands that are easily recognised, like Tennent’s, which accounts for c40% volume share of total beer over the Christmas period (1), have prominent space on the bar can help drive sales during busy periods.

Christmas is a time of nostalgia and for many Scots that will mean a refreshing pint of Tennent’s shared with family and friends, including those returning to their home soil for the holidays.

Last year spirits saw the biggest uplift at Christmas compared with the rest of the year and we’d expect this to be similar this year with liqueurs and darker spirits like rum, brandy and whisky key to unlocking profit. Unsurprisingly, cream liqueurs like Baileys come out top with sales up 113% in the four weeks of Christmas 2024 (1).

Wine holds a slightly lower share – 12% (1) – but is still a favourable option with red wine and sparkling variants like Prosecco and Champagne the most popular. With cost a key consideration amongst consumers, venues should look at options such as French Crémant which is growing in popularity as people look for high quality alternatives to champagne with slightly cheaper price tags.

With cider, apple variants are still dominating the category with consumers favouring more classic traditional styles like Magners which is the UK’s no.1 packaged apple cider brand in the on trade (3) with its iconic over ice serve.

As well as a refreshing sessionable drink, apple variants also make a great base for mulled ciders highlighting their place on bar over the season. Our cider portfolio also includes Outc!der, a slightly sweeter apple style that is proving very popular with younger consumers and Orchard Pig a refreshing premium cider range that works well with food.

Trading up

Christmas tends to be a time when people are more likely to spend a little extra and treat themselves and we will continue to see consumers trading up to premium options when out and about.

Operators should be considering how best to offer a choice of premium options across their full range of drinks including cocktails and spirits through signature serves, wines, beers and ciders as well as no and low. Consumers often look to try something new at Christmas so it’s a great time to stock new serves.

Our range of premium brands includes Menabrea, a refreshing Italian lager that pairs excellently with food making it a good option for food led venues as well as pubs and bars. With food occasions set to increase in value over the Christmas period it is important to offer consumers options, while the LAD category as a whole can support dwell time with more time taken per serve. Another option is our refreshing premium pilsner, Heverlee.

Biggest month for no and low

Don’t forget those looking to moderate or avoid alcohol during the season. December is the biggest month for no and low drinks (4) and with one in three Scottish bar & pub drinkers said to be cutting back on alcohol (5) venues need to be giving some thought to their nonalcoholic offering beyond just soft drinks.

At Tennent’s Direct we have a range of no and low alcohol options including a number of our beer and cider brands such as Tennent’s Zero and Tennent’s Light, a refreshing 3.4% ABV lager as well as our premium Italian Beer, Menabrea Zero Zero and Magners 0.0% which offers the same refreshing great taste as our original cider without the alcohol.

Throughout the festive period, we will continue to see a trend of consumers going out earlier into the on trade as well as socialising during weekdays and operators need to be thinking about how they can drive pre-6pm spend in venue throughout the week.

Another way venues can attract footfall and hopefully encourage repeat visits during this time is to look at their entertainment offering with consumers increasingly prioritising experiences. Those that crack these will be the real winners of Christmas.

Once you’ve got your range in place don’t forget to make sure your staff are familiar with your festive offering. A well-informed team that are confident in recommending options is another effective way to maximise sales through up-selling, especially during this key trading period.

At Tennent’s Direct we know how busy the lead-up to the festive season is and our team are here to help with everything from range advice to training; we’ve got you covered this Christmas.

Kenny Gray

On Trade Sales Director for Scotland and Northern Ireland