Table of Contents
Overview
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- What you need to know
- Issues covered in this Report
Executive Summary
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- The market
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- Figure 1: Estimated total beer market, by segment, IoI, 2017
- Figure 2: Total cider sales, by value, IoI, on-trade and off-trade, 2012-22
- Forecast
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- Figure 3: Total cider vs beer sales, by value, IoI, on-trade and off-trade, 2012-22
- Market factors
- Duty excise increase sees consumers paying more for a pint
- NI consumers have low expectations for the economy, but high for personal finances
- Fewer visitors from GB impacting RoI pubs
- Irish consumers more likely to ‘pre-load’ than UK
- Innovations
- The consumer
- Lager continues to see strongest usage
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- Figure 4: Types of beer consumers have drunk in-home or out-of-home in the last three months, NI and RoI, April 2017
- Apple continues to be key cider flavour
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- Figure 5: Types of cider drunk by consumers in the last three months, by age group, NI and RoI, April 2017
- A pint at the pub is the most popular drinking occasion
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- Figure 6: Occasions on which consumers have drunk beer in the last three months, NI and RoI, April 2017
- Six in 10 want wider beer/cider choice at festivals and events
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- Figure 7: Agreement with statements relating to beer and cider, NI and RoI, April 2017
The Market – What You Need to Know
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- Irish beer market estimated to see 2% growth in 2017
- Cider sees 2% growth 2015-16
- Lager maintains market share
- Beer prices increase
- Consumer confidence in economy low, but high for personal future finances
- Less visitors from GB impacting RoI pubs
- Irish consumers more likely to ‘pre-load’ than UK
Market Size and Forecast
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- Beer value sales set to increase between 2016 and 2017
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- Figure 8: Total beer sales, by value, NI and RoI, 2012-22
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- Figure 9: Indexed total beer sales, by value, NI and RoI, 2012-22
- Beer on-trade has a wobble in 2016, but 2017 expected to be better
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- Figure 10: Total on-trade beer sales, by value, IoI, NI and RoI, 2012-22
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- Figure 11: Sterling (£) to euro (€) exchange rate, 2010-17*
- Beer off-trade benefitting from increased on-trade prices
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- Figure 12: Total off-trade beer sales, by value, IoI, NI and RoI, 2012-22
- Beer volume sales set for increase in 2017
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- Figure 13: Total beer sales, by volume, on-trade and off-trade, IoI, 2013-22
- RoI sees strong cider sales value growth 2015-16
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- Figure 14: Total cider sales, by value, NI and RoI, 2012-22
- Figure 15: Total on-trade cider sales, by value, NI and RoI, 2012-22
- Off-trade cider seeing slow-down
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- Figure 16: Total off-trade cider sales, by value, NI and RoI, 2012-22
- Cider volume sales increase in off-trade, decline in on-trade
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- Figure 17: Total cider sales, by volume, NI and RoI, 2012-22
Market Segmentation
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- Lager still the dominant sector of the Irish beer market
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- Figure 18: Estimated total beer market, by segment, IoI, 2017
- Lager the dominant sector
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- Figure 19: Total lager sales, by value, IoI, off-trade and on-trade, 2012-22
- Stout expected to see continued growth in 2017
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- Figure 20: Total stout sales, by value, IoI, off-trade and on-trade, 2012-22
- The rise in craft beer could spark opportunity for ale
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- Figure 21: Total ale sales, by value, IoI, off-trade and on-trade, 2012-22
- Figure 22: Estimated market value of craft beer market (on-trade and off-trade), RoI, 2012-17
Market Drivers
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- Beer prices increase in the UK and Ireland
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- Figure 23: Consumer price indices for beer, on-trade and off-trade, RoI, January 2012 to May 2017
- Figure 24: Consumer price indices for beer, UK (including NI), June 2012 to May 2017
- Increase in excise duty helping to boost beer prices
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- Figure 25: UK and RoI excise duty rates per pint of beer (4% ABV) and cider (up to 7.5%), 2012-17
- Brexit and UK elections taking toll on NI economic confidence
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- Figure 26: How consumers think the general economic condition of the country will change over the next 12 months, NI and RoI, April and June 2017
- Consumers expect improvements in personal financial situation
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- Figure 27: How consumers think their own personal financial situation will change over the next 12 months, NI and RoI, April 2017
- Brexit could disrupt import and export of beers
- RoI pubs suffer setback in 2017 as UK/NI tourism drops off
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- Figure 28: Number of overseas trips to Ireland by non-residents, by area of residence and reason for journey, 2014-Q1 2017
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- Figure 29: Types of activities done by consumers during last holiday (in Ireland or abroad), NI and RoI, September 2015
- NI tourism saw improved performance in 2016
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- Figure 30: Estimated number of overnight trips in NI by market, 2014-16
- Figure 31: If consumers intend to shop for various goods/services in NI/UK during the next six months to take advantage of the shift in the £/€ exchange rate, by demographics, RoI, August 2016
- Ireland top country for pre-loading behaviour
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- Figure 32: Consumers who have drunk beer or cider at home before a night out in the last three months, NI and RoI, March 2017
- Figure 33: Top five countries for ‘pre-loading’ drinking behaviour, 2017
Key Players and Innovations
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- 2016 sees strong beer and cider launch activity
- Beers increasingly vegan friendly
- Apple still the dominant cider launch type
Who’s Innovating?
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- 2016 sees increase in beer and cider NPD
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- Figure 34: Number of beer and cider products launched, UK and Ireland, 2012-17*
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- Figure 35: Number of beer and cider products launched, by packaging type, UK and Ireland, 2012-17*
- Strong increase in vegan-friendly launches
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- Figure 36: Number of beer and cider products launched, by vegan/vegetarian claims, UK and Ireland, 2012-17*
- Standard apple cider continues to see strongest launch
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- Figure 37: Cider products launched, by top flavours, UK and Ireland, 2012-17*
Companies and Brands
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- AB InBev
- Key facts
- Product portfolio
- Brand NPD
- Recent developments
- Diageo
- Key facts
- Product portfolio
- Brand NPD
- Recent developments
- Molson Coors
- Key facts
- Product portfolio
- Brand NPD
- The Cantrell and Cochrane Group (C&C)
- Key facts
- Product portfolio
- Brand NPD
- Recent developments
- Heineken Ireland
- Key facts
- Product portfolio
- Brand NPD
- Recent developments
- Craft beer and cider companies
- BrewDog
- Key facts
- Product portfolio
- Brand NPD
- Recent developments
- Carlow Brewing
- Key facts
- Product portfolio
- Recent developments
- Hilden Brewery
- Key facts
- Product portfolio
- Recent developments
- Long Meadow Cider
- Key facts
- Product portfolio
- Recent developments
- The Porterhouse Brewing Company
- Key facts
- Product portfolio
- Recent developments
- Whitewater Brewery
- Key facts
- Product portfolio
- Recent developments
The Consumer – What You Need to Know
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- Lager most drunk type of beer
- NI consumers strong users of pear and other fruit ciders
- Pubs and bars key location for drinking beer and cider
- Consumers demand greater beer/cider choices at festivals
Usage of Beer
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- Lager most drunk type of beer in 2017
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- Figure 38: Types of beer consumers have drunk in-home or out-of-home in the last three months, NI and RoI, April 2017
- Lager sees strong engagement among more mature consumers
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- Figure 39: Consumers who have drunk lager (eg Harp Heineken) in the last three months, by age, NI and RoI, April 2017
- Stout appeals to men more than women
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- Figure 40: Consumers who have drunk stout (eg Guinness, Murphys) in the last three months, by gender, NI and RoI, April 2017
- Stronger usage of craft beer among RoI consumers
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- Figure 41: Consumers who have drunk any craft beer/beer made by a small producer (eg Galway Bay) in the last three months, by gender and age groups, NI and RoI, April 2017
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- Figure 42: Number of beer products launched claiming to be craft, UK and Ireland, 2012-17*
- Flavoured beers favoured among 18-24s in RoI
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- Figure 43: Consumers who have drunk fruit flavoured and spirit flavoured beer in the last three months, NI and RoI, April 2017
- Figure 44: Consumers who have drunk fruit flavoured and spirit flavoured beer in the last three months, by age group, NI and RoI, April 2017
Usage of Cider
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- NI consumers have more diverse cider tastes compared to RoI
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- Figure 45: Types of cider drunk by consumers in the last three months, by age group, NI and RoI, April 2017
- Apple cider shows stronger engagement with Irish women compared to lager
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- Figure 46: Consumers who have drunk apple cider vs lager in the last three months, by gender, NI and RoI, April 2017
- NI consumers twice as likely to drink pear cider
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- Figure 47: Consumers who have drunk pear cider in the last three months, by gender, NI and RoI, April 2017
- Other fruit ciders see strong usage in NI
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- Figure 48: Consumers who have drunk any other fruit-flavoured cider (eg strawberry and lime/red grape) in the last three months, by gender and age, NI and RoI, April 2017
Occasions for Drinking Beer and Cider
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- A pint at the pub is the most popular occasion
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- Figure 49: Occasions on which consumers have drunk beer in the last three months, NI and RoI, April 2017
- Men more likely to drink beer in pubs, but women more likely to drink cider
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- Figure 50: Consumers have drunk beer and/or cider in a pub or bar in the last three months, by gender, NI and RoI, April 2017
- NI consumers more likely to drink beer and cider while relaxing at home
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- Figure 51: Consumers have drunk beer and/or cider while relaxing at home (eg watching TV) in the last three months, NI and RoI, April 2017
- NI consumers more likely to drink beer and cider with meals
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- Figure 52: Consumers have drunk beer and/or cider with a meal in and out-of-home in the last three months, NI and RoI, April 2017
Attitudes towards Beer and Cider
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- Six in 10 want wider beer/cider choice at festivals and events
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- Figure 53: Agreement with statements relating to beer and cider, NI and RoI, April 2017
- Better variety at festivals important to younger consumers
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- Figure 54: Agreement with the statement ‘I would like to see a wider choice of beer/cider available at festivals/ events (eg more than just a sponsor’s beer)’, by gender and age, NI and RoI, April 2017
- Taste very important to encouraging consumers to spend more
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- Figure 55: Agreement with the statement ‘I'm only willing to pay more for beer/cider if I can easily taste the difference compared to cheaper equivalents’, by socio-economic group, NI and RoI, April 2017
- Oak barrel aging holds strong appeal
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- Figure 56: Agreement with the statement ‘I would be interested in trying a beer or cider aged in an oak barrel’, by gender, NI and RoI, April 2017
Appendix – Data Sources, Abbreviations and Supporting Information
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- Definition
- Data sources
- Generational cohorts
- Abbreviations
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