Report Summary
Providing the most comprehensive and up-to-date information and analysis of the UK Cider market, including the behaviours, preferences and habits of the consumer.
The cider market industry saw a huge decline thanks to the closing of non-essential retail throughout 2020. With the almost complete closure of the hospitality industry, on-premises demand was gone overnight.
While 53% of adults drink cider, with 18 – 24 year old men being the core demographic, over half of cider drinkers reported to drinking less than they normally would, due to the lack of social events. Even though there were increased sales in supermarkets, rising to 22% in value, it wasn’t enough to balance the loss of sales on-premises, which fell in value by 58%.
With the staggered reopening of the hospitality sector, there is also an increased wariness around crowds which could pose a risk to the cider market. However, the increase in sales in pubs and bars will fuel an overall rise in value, with the market predicted to return to pre-COVID levels. The cider market is also predicted to reach £3.9 billion (917 million litres) in 2025.
This report covers the issues faced by the cider market during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the potential market opportunities as businesses reopen. With an increased awareness on health, and government obesity strategies encouraging limited alcohol consumption, brands may have to focus on flavour and product innovation heading into the future.
Quickly understand
- The impact of COVID-19 on the cider market.
- Types and variants of cider drunk.
- Launch activity in 2020 and future product development opportunities.
- Interest in cider concepts.
- Consumer behaviours and attitudes related to cider.
Covered in this report
Brands: Strongbow, Heineken (Old Mout, Bulmers), Kopparberg, Thatchers, Westons (Mortimers Orchard, Stowford Press, Henry Westons, Wyld Wood), Rekorderlig, Brothers, Lambrini (Halewood), Magners (C&C Group), Aston Manor, Molson Coors, Älska, Aspall, Sxollie, own-label.
Products: Cider, apple cider, flavoured cider, pear cider, perry, spirit-flavoured cider, rosé cider.
Expert analysis from a specialist in the field
Written by Amy Price, a leading analyst in the Food & Drink sector, her extensive knowledge delivers in-depth commentary and analysis to highlight current trends and add expert context to the numbers.
Barrel-aged ciders appeal particularly to over-55s, making these variants a promising means for companies to maintain engagement among older consumers. As well as tapping into quality associations around longer ageing, these products would also offer a less sweet flavour profile, which is likely to be particularly welcome to older people.
Table of Contents
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Overview
- Key issues covered in this Report
- Economic and other assumptions
- Products covered in this Report
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Executive Summary
- Impact of COVID-19 on cider
- Figure 1: Short-, medium- and long-term impact of COVID-19 on cider, February 2021
- The market
- Value and volume sales fall in 2020 as on-trade feels the effects of COVID-19
- Figure 2: Forecast of UK value sales of cider, 2015-25
- The market will rapidly return to pre-COVID-19 levels
- On-trade cider sales hit during COVID-19 outbreak; retail sales benefit from on-trade collapse
- Health concerns curb alcohol consumption; demographic changes bring mixed news to the market
- Companies and brands
- Strongbow leads sales in a resurgent market
- Figure 3: Leading brands’ share in the UK retail cider and perry market, 2019/20*
- Rosé trend continues
- Flavour NPD spans confectionery, lemon and seasonal
- Thatchers focuses on family in advertising; Strongbow on bringing people together
- The consumer
- 53% drink cider
- Figure 4: Usage of cider, October 2020
- Unique flavours offer a way for brands to extend into new areas
- Figure 5: Interest in cider concepts, October 2020
- 59% would like to know more about how cider is made; 56% interested in food pairings
- Figure 6: Behaviours relating to cider, October 2020
- Cider makers should continue to push Britishness
- Figure 7: Attitudes towards cider, October 2020
- Cider is seen to be the most refreshing drink
- Figure 8: Correspondence analysis: qualities associated with different alcoholic drinks, October 2020
- Impact of COVID-19 on cider
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Issues and Insights
- Health becomes more of a priority in the wake of the pandemic
- Cider makers should push Britishness
- Unique flavours offer a way for brands to extend into new areas
- Openness to DTC delivery from local brewers
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The Market – Key Takeaways
- Value and volume sales fall in 2020 as on-trade feels the effects of COVID-19
- The market will rapidly return to pre-COVID-19 levels
- On-trade cider sales hit during COVID-19 outbreak; retail sales benefit from on-trade collapse
- Health concerns curb alcohol consumption; demographic changes bring mixed news to the market
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Market Size and Forecast
- Impact of COVID-19 on cider
- Figure 9: Short-, medium- and long-term impact of COVID-19 on cider, February 2021
- Value and volume sales fall in 2020 as on-trade feels the effects of COVID-19
- Figure 10: Total value and volume sales of cider, 2015-25
- The market will rapidly return to pre-COVID-19 levels
- Figure 11: Forecast of UK value sales of cider, 2015-25
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- Figure 12: Forecast of UK volume sales of cider, 2015-25
- Market drivers and assumptions
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- Figure 13: Key drivers affecting Mintel’s market forecast, 2015-25 (prepared on 23 February 2021)
- Learnings from the last recession
- Figure 14: Value and volume sales of cider, 2007-12
- Forecast methodology
- Impact of COVID-19 on cider
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Channels to Market
- On-trade cider sales hit during COVID-19 outbreak
- Retail sales benefit from on-trade collapse
- Figure 15: Value and volume sales of cider in the off- and on-trade, 2015-20
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Market Drivers
- COVID-19 pandemic hits the on-trade
- Government initiatives aim to support hospitality industry
- Health concerns affect alcohol consumption
- Focus on health and saving money likely to increase
- Government plans calorie labelling consultation for alcohol
- Figure 16: Strongbow introduces nutritional labelling on-pack, 2019
- Numerous factors influence prices
- Duties untouched
- Figure 17: UK excise duty rates for cider, 2010-19
- Brexit has a limited impact on prices
- Minimum unit price introduced in Wales in March 2020
- Majority describe their financial situation as healthy or OK
- Ageing population and drop in the young threaten the market
- Figure 18: Trends in the age structure of the UK population, 2015-20 and 2020-25
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Companies and Brands – Key Takeaways
- Strongbow leads sales in a resurgent market
- Rosé trend continues
- Flavour NPD spans confectionery, lemon and seasonal
- Thatchers focuses on family in advertising; Strongbow on bringing people together
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Market Share
- Strongbow leads sales in a resurgent market, its rosé variant helping
- Figure 19: Leading brands’ sales and share in the UK retail cider and perry market, 2017/18-2019/20
- Kopparberg benefits from flavoured cider trend but Rekorderlig falters
- Thatchers and Westons prove there’s room for traditional brands
- Heineken leads, holding a third of the market
- Figure 20: Leading brand owners’ sales and share in the UK retail cider and perry market, 2017/18-2019/20
- Strongbow leads sales in a resurgent market, its rosé variant helping
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Launch Activity and Innovation
- Strongbow taps into pink trend with rosé cider launch…
- Figure 21: Strongbow launches rosé cider, 2020
- …and has a makeover
- Westons launches new products, including a Vintage Rosé variant
- New flavours create a sense of newness
- Brothers looks to confectionery flavours
- Thatchers moves into flavoured cider with Cloudy Lemon product
- Figure 22: Thatchers moves into flavoured cider with Cloudy Lemon launch, 2020
- Seasonal variants are still popular in cider
- Figure 23: Seasonal NPD in cider, 2020/21
- Kopparberg moves into seltzers, an example of extending the brand and targeting the health-conscious
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- Figure 24: Kopparberg moves into hard seltzers, 2020
- Other health-oriented launches
- Figure 25: NPD featuring a healthier positioning in cider, 2020
- Call for more low/no-alcohol ciders
- Figure 26: Strongbow unveils low-alcohol cider, 2020
- Recent launches reference provenance and craft cues
- Figure 27: NPD referencing provenance/production methods, 2019/20
- The environment is still a focus of NPD
- Strongbow taps into pink trend with rosé cider launch…
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Advertising and Marketing Activity
- Advertisers cut back dramatically in 2020
- Figure 28: Total above-the-line, online display and direct mail advertising expenditure on cider, by media type, 2019 and 2020
- Thatchers celebrates family life with new ad
- Figure 29: Total above-the-line, online display and direct mail advertising expenditure on cider, by top advertisers (sorted by total), 2019 and 2020
- Strongbow looks to bring people together
- Kopparberg invests in supporting its new seltzers
- Nielsen Ad Intel coverage
- Advertisers cut back dramatically in 2020
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The Consumer – Key Takeaways
- Drinking in the home becomes more prevalent
- Health becomes more of a priority in the wake of the pandemic
- 53% drink cider
- Britishness appeals to cider drinkers
- Unique flavours offer a way for brands to extend into new areas
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Impact of COVID-19 on Consumer Behaviour
- Drinking in the home becomes more prevalent
- Figure 30: Spending on alcoholic drinks – for drinking at home, surveyed 4-12 February 2021
- On-trade closures see many cider occasions lost
- Boom in online sales as people look to reduce time in-store
- Health becomes more of a priority in the wake of the pandemic
- Negative economic impact on younger people
- Britishness becomes more of a selling point
- Opportunities to push food/cider pairings, with 56% interested
- Drinking in the home becomes more prevalent
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Usage of Cider
- 53% drink cider
- Apple is the most popular variant; fruit versions appeal more to women than men
- Figure 31: Types of cider drunk, October 2020
- Cider drinkers have a narrow repertoire; younger more experimental
- Figure 32: Repertoire of usage of cider, October 2020
- Standard cider is the most popular variant
- Figure 33: Usage of different types of cider, October 2020
- 37% drink cider once a week or more
- Figure 34: Frequency of drinking cider, October 2020
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Interest in Cider Concepts
- Unique flavours offer a way for brands to extend into new areas
- Smaller formats encourage trial
- Figure 35: Interest in cider concepts, October 2020
- Seltzers and lower-calorie versions also provide opportunities for brand extensions
- Barrel-aged cider poses a way to appeal to older drinkers
- Online sessions offer a way for brands to reach cider drinkers
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Cider Behaviours
- Information on how cider is made would appeal to 59%
- Figure 36: Behaviours relating to cider, October 2020
- Opportunities to push food/cider pairings, with 56% interested
- Figure 37: Aspall calls out food pairings on-pack, 2020
- Healthier versions of cider appeal, especially to women
- Low-sugar and low-calorie cider interests minority
- Call for more low/no-alcohol versions
- Ingredients come under scrutiny
- Information on how cider is made would appeal to 59%
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Attitudes towards Cider
- Cider makers should push Britishness
- Interest in cider from different countries
- Figure 38: Attitudes towards cider, October 2020
- Openness to DTC delivery from local brewers…
- …and subscription models
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Qualities Associated with Alcoholic Drinks
- Cider is seen to be the most refreshing drink
- A third of adults see cider as good for relaxing with
- Just 11% say cider is too sweet
- Figure 39: Correspondence analysis: qualities associated with different alcoholic drinks, October 2020
- Figure 40: Qualities associated with different alcoholic drinks, October 2020
- Methodology
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Appendix – Data Sources, Abbreviations and Supporting Information
- Abbreviations
- Consumer research methodology
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