UK Bar and Restaurant Drink Sales Decline in Early Autumn as Consumer Caution Grows

Sales in bars and restaurants across the United Kingdom slowed in mid-September, according to the latest Daily Drinks Tracker from CGA by NIQ. The report shows that while categories known as “Long Alcoholic Drinks”—which include beer, cider, and soft drinks—remained relatively stable, there was a notable decline in sales of spirits and wine during the two weeks analyzed.

For the week ending September 13, average drink sales in managed venues were 1.4% lower than the same period last year. The following week, ending September 20, the gap widened to a 3.0% decrease compared to 2024. Out of the fourteen days covered by the report, sales were higher than last year on only four days, while they lagged behind on ten.

The data marks a shift after a strong end to summer for pubs, bars, and their suppliers. Between late July and early September, sales had outperformed the previous year for five out of six weeks. However, as autumn began, consumer spending patterns changed.

Beer sales were up by 1.0% in the first week but fell by 1.0% in the second week. Cider sales increased by 1.0% before dropping 4.8%. Soft drinks saw a small rise of 1.0% followed by a decrease of 1.8%, leaving them nearly flat over the two-week period.

Spirits and wine faced greater challenges. Sales of spirits dropped by 7.1% and 6.2% in each respective week, while wine sales fell even further—down 8.5% and then 7.6%. These declines suggest that consumers are being more cautious with their spending on higher-priced alcoholic beverages.

Rachel Weller, commercial lead for CGA by NIQ in the UK and Ireland, said that the trends seen over summer—flat overall sales but steady demand for beer and similar drinks—are continuing into autumn. She noted that growth in revenue is being driven more by price increases than by higher volumes sold, indicating that many customers are still focused on getting value when they go out for drinks.

The report also highlights that bars and restaurants will need to work harder to achieve year-on-year growth as cooler months approach. The hope is that spirits and wine may see better results later in the season, but current figures show that consumers remain cautious.

The Daily Drinks Tracker analyzes sales at managed licensed premises across Britain and is part of CGA’s broader research services for tracking performance by category, supplier, and brand. The findings provide insight into how economic pressures and changing consumer habits are affecting the hospitality sector as it moves from summer into autumn.