Supermarket booze sales slump as prices climb and drinkers consume less alcohol

SUPERMARKET booze sales are drying up as prices climb and drinkers ease back on alcohol.

All ten of Britain’s most popular brands have seen a dip at the check-outs.

They include best-selling beers, spirits and wines, according to data in The Grocer magazine.

Prices have been driven up by inflation and a rise in duty in August last year.

The average cost has risen by 4.5 per cent, and by up to 12.9 for fortified wine.

Figures from analysts Kantar show a 2.8 per cent rise to £15.4billion spent on alcohol in supermarkets in a year — but a 1.5 per cent dip in volume.

Carling and Foster’s showed bigger slumps of 11.4 per cent and 10.8 per cent respectively in volume.

Many shoppers have switched to low or no-alcohol alternatives, said The Grocer — while brands outside the best-seller list faced being pulled if sales did not rise, said Andrew Eagle, of analysts NIQ.

He told the mag “Brands which fail to change with the times are essentially sleepwalking towards becoming obsolete.

“This has happened before with Bacardi Breezer and Reef, and is the future for brands that fail to innovate.”

Kantar analyst, Suzette Cheung, said: “The rise in moderation sees people cutting back, with more households switching to low/no alcohol or opting out of drinking completely.

“Consumers are buying less to manage costs.”