Gin sales soar by 7m bottles in 2017 as Brits vote juniper juice their favourite tipple

By Michelle Perrett

Published: 18 December, 2017

Gin sales have continued to soar as Brits bought over 47 million bottles over the last 12 months according to the Wine and Spirit Trade Association’s latest market report.

This is up 7m bottles compared to the same period a year ago and is the equivalent of 1.32 billion G&Ts.

Gin sales in the UK have doubled in value in the last six years with consumers buying £630m worth of gin in 2011 compared to over a £1.2bn in 12 months (to Sept 2017).

The WSTA market report showed that the equivalent of over 8.8 million bottles of gin were sold in the UK’s pubs, bars and restaurants worth £729 million in the same 12 months.

But the majority of the gin sold in the UK is from shops and supermarkets where 38.7m bottles were sold between September 2016 to 2017.

The new figures have been released at the same time as a YouGov poll found gin is now the most popular spirit with 29% of drinkers voting it their favourite spirit tipple.

In the 12 weeks up to September 2017 gin sales went up 26% by volume in the off trade (shops and supermarkets) and up 34% by value compared to the same time last year.

In the same 12 weeks, sales in the on trade (bars, pubs and restaurants) were also buoyant with volume up 23% and value sales 28%.

Gin sales abroad have also seen rise, according to WSTA, with exports in 2016 being worth £474m making it the world’s 7th most valuable food and drink export.

“The latest WSTA market report is showing yet another sparkling result for gin sales in the UK. The British public show no signs of growing tired of trying new gins with well over 100 brands now available on the UK Market. It comes as no surprise that gin has climbed to the top of a poll of most popular spirit drinks,” said Miles Beale, chief executive of the WSTA.

“Although gin is predominantly juniper based our innovative gin distillers are now offering a range of gins infused with locally sourced botanicals, including seaweed, rhubarb and even Christmas gins with frankincense and myrrh.”

A total of 45 new distilleries opened in the UK during 2016 according to HMRC, which brings the total to an estimated 273 distilleries in the UK.

This has more than doubled since 2012 when there were 128.

Printer friendly version