Following several years of strong growth, 2014 was a far more challenging year for the cider market. A surprising 1% dip in volumes ended a sustained period of growth when cider’s penetration in the UK has risen significantly. Over half (57%) of Brits reported to drink cider in the 12 months to October 2014 and while apple is the most popular variant and dominates sales, it saw a 1% dip in values in off-trade values last year. Pear is faring even worse, with off-trade values declining by more than a quarter, with fruit-flavoured ciders appearing to be picking up much of this business.

Cider’s muted 2014 performance is also likely to be the result of a rejuvenated beer category which saw volumes bounce back into growth for the first time since the 2008/09 onset of the economic recession. Despite another hot summer, cider only saw limited benefit as the increasingly innovative beer market also saw an uplift from the football World Cup.

Much of the innovation in the cider market has been more predictable, with a slew of new flavours adding little incremental growth to the category. Developing a more dynamic craft segment as well as giving greater emphasis to ingredient quality and heritage are two possible ways for brands to drive the cider market back into growth in 2015 and beyond.

All ciders are included within this report: low/no-alcohol to super-strength; draught and packaged cider; unflavoured and flavoured ciders; still and sparkling ciders.

The NACM (National Association of Cider Makers) Code of Practice states that the alcohol content of cider must be greater than 1.2% ABV but less than 8.5% ABV; products in excess of 8.5% ABV are classified as apple wine.

Perry and pear cider are both included in this report. Whilst it is recognised that perry refers to a drink made using fermented pear juice, this term is used to describe light perries that are sold as wine-style drinks (eg Lambrini). Perries that are sold alongside ciders are referred to, for the purposes of this report, as pear cider.

Flavoured ciders refers to those ciders that are marketed as ciders but contain flavourings or fruit other than pear or apple. Examples include Kopparberg Mixed Fruit and Brothers Strawberry and Mixed Pear Cider, among others.

Both on- and off-trade sales are included in the UK market size. Value sales throughout this report are at consumer prices. Market sizes at constant 2014 prices are devised using Mintel’s alcoholic drinks deflator.

Crown copyright material is reproduced with the permission of the Controller of HMSO and the Queen’s Printer for Scotland.

Apple-flavoured alcoholic carbonates are excluded from market size calculations in this report.

Duty-free sales and personal imports are excluded from market size calculations.