UK: Budweiser Brewing Group reveals trends from beer category growth during Euro 2024
Budweiser Brewing Group UK&I, a proud partner of AB InBev, continues to see growth in the beer sector, as Euro 2024 spearheads a 5.8% value and 5.1% volume growth in the category, with the return of the football season likely to drive at-home drinking moments, Retail Times reported on September 12.
Southgate’s long tournament runs have injected life into the economy, as England’s progression to the final played a huge role in increasing beer sales. Overall, an extra 9.3m litres of beer were sold in the off-trade, compared to the same time frame the previous year, equating to an extra £28m being spent in the category.
“UEFA Euro 2024 proved how important it is for retailers to capture spend during sporting moments,” says Maria Neves, head of category management at Budweiser Brewing Group, said: “Whilst national games draw a larger audience and increase basket spend, they also shine a light on what’s performing well. This offers customers a great opportunity to plan for the domestic football season, and international breaks in-between. We saw a real spike in World Beer, Craft Beer, and No-and-Low Alcohol during UEFA Euro 2024, which are trends we expect to see continue and recommend stocking for the season ahead.”
Budweiser Brewing Group have identified how customers can continue to take advantage of the football-loving nation.
World beers and Craft beers continue to grow
World beers and Craft beers were two big winners during UEFA Euro 2024, with growth across both volume and value, as shoppers are happy to trade up on alcohol.
World beer saw a volume increase of 8% during the period and is expected to continue to grow. Since 2019, consumers have purchased 5% more World beer in comparison to standard lager and we forecast a further 8% increase in sales by 2030.
Craft beer enjoyed a volume increase of 12% during UEFA Euro 2024 where the category gave shoppers even more variety. The Craft beer category has continued to expand and is seeing a YOY volume increase of 3%.
Along with choosing the right product, match days see a rise in consumers looking to stock up on chilled beers as part of ‘beer run’ missions on the way to social gatherings – so, a well-stocked beer fridge is vital.
Top tip: By 2025 the Premium and Super-Premium category will account for 65% of all total beer consumption. Stocking World and Craft beers in that sector will be a must. Retailers can capture this spend by stacking shelves with World Beers including San Miguel and Corona, and Craft Beers such as Camden Town Brewery.
Alcohol-free continues to score big
The tournament also saw a rise in the No-and-Low sector, with a volume increase of 22%, as consumers continue to seek moderation when drinking. The sector shows no sign of slowing down and is now worth over £187m across the Off-Trade alone[8] .
The younger generation (18–34-year-olds) over-index the most in the No-and-Low category, highlighting a wider cultural shift.[9] No-and-Low options will therefore not only cater to existing customers but will also recruit new consumers into the category.
Top tip: Consumers deciding to moderate their alcohol consumption tend to try a brand they already know and love. Budweiser Brewing Group offers its best-loved beers in alcohol-free formats; Budweiser Zero, Stella Artois Alcohol-Free, and Corona Cero so consumers can still enjoy the taste of their favourite beer while stepping back from the ABV for certain occasions.
Brand affiliation to sport
Brand affiliation plays an important role with which products shoppers put in their baskets. Budweiser celebrated another year of being the official sponsor of the England National team, delivering several POS and instore activations to generate excitement for those of us at home during the tournament. This led to an extra 1,910,000 litres (3,361,130 pints) of Budweiser purchased during UEFA Euro 2024. With 20% of beer shoppers making an impulse purchase decision once in-store, engaging shoppers through merchandising at different touchpoints throughout the store is key to capturing spend.
Top tip: Drive excitement on match days through in-store theatre and merchandising. It’s not just beer fans stocking up; football entices new shoppers to the beer category and familiar brands out-perform competitors.
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