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Christmas Spirit
Get into the Christmas Spirit in 2021

What are your customers’ favourite Christmas tipples? Do they look forward to a refreshing gin and tonic, a cheeky rum and coke, a comforting Baileys or an adventurous snowball? Compared to all Alcohol types, it is Spirits which has the most significant uplift in sales in the weeks leading up to Christmas.

After an initial peak at the beginning of November (week 44), rate of sale starts to build around week 47 (end of November). The biggest selling weeks are weeks 51 and 52 for Christmas and New Year celebrations so ensure you’re still well stocked. Liqueurs have the biggest increase in sales at Christmas (compared to ‘base’ week.) 2020 shows, you can really maximise the sales between Christmas and New Year.
Spirits rate of sale
Gin appears to be the Spirit of Christmas Past against sales last year, though sales are still strong, the market has perhaps reached saturation with shoppers looking for a new spirit to create their cocktails. This year we can expect a visit from the Spirit of Christmas Present – Baileys is the favourite that your customers look to place under the tree. Rum is predicted the Spirit of Christmas Yet to Come, as manufacturers seek to find new and interesting blends with which to tempt their customers. A special mention has to go to Warninks Advocaat which saw a 4 digit upturn in sales week 40 vs week 51 last year – it’s obviously not just old Auntie Fezziwig who likes a snowball cocktail at Christmas!
Increase in Spirit Unit Sales (Week 51 vs Week 40)
Vodka Whisky Rum Gin Brandy/Cognac Liqueurs
3.8% 13.2%13.4% 21.8% 25.8% 84.5%
Rate of sale was generally higher last year due to COVID-19 restrictions, with sales this year tracking at a similar level – whether the Christmas peak will be as high as last year for convenience will be dependent on the Governments decisions to impose restrictions once more.
The 6 biggest selling Liqueur brands are listed in the table with their Christmas week sales compared to week 40 (1st week in October). During Christmas week, units of Baileys make up nearly a quarter of all Liqueur sales, with growth of 471% compared to a ‘standard’ selling week. Jack Daniels Apple sales dropped in Christmas week compared to October. It launched earlier in the year so there will have been a large amount of ‘trial sales’ earlier in the year. So, whether you’re a Scrooge or a Tiny Tim this Christmas – embrace the Christmas Spirit – cocktails all round, and a Happy Christmas trading for one and all!!
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