AB InBev’s Budweiser Brewing Group UK&I subsidiary is forecasting a stellar year for beer sales in 2021 in the Off-Trade, following the stand-out performance of the category in 2020.
Nielsen data shows that beer sales grew 28.9% in grocery, and 37.5% in impulse last year, as consumers shopped for an additional 20 million at-home alcohol occasions each month in 2020. Even as the Covid-19 restrictions lift, Budweiser Brewing Group is predicting that the at-home occasion will remain popular this year as consumers celebrate the return of the summer of sport and spend time with family and friends. The brewer is forecasting 12-15% growth for the total beer category, with impulse and convenience growing 3-4% ahead of the market, compared to the last year of regular trading in 2019.
Neil Baker, Head of Category Management at Budweiser Brewing Group said: “It may be the Year of the Ox in the Chinese Zodiac but in the Off-Trade, 2021 will be the year for beer. We saw a once-in-a-generation shift in consumer behaviour last year – lockdowns led more of us to shop locally, as well as to a rise in at-home occasions. These trends are here to stay, even as restrictions ease.
“This year, whether it’s helping customers stock up on best-loved beers for Euro 2021, or for a get-together with extended family, there’s a huge opportunity for retailers to maintain this sales momentum. But stores must prepare in order to tap into these moments effectively, and that means starting now.”
