With nearly a third of annual spirits sales taking place in the 12 weeks to Christmas, Pernod Ricard UK is urging retailers capitalise on premium trade-up opportunities this festive season. Premium+ Spirits grew value share by 44 per cent in December last year, a trend that’s expected to accelerate as shoppers look to make the season special by turning to at-home entertaining and gifting.
At-home consumption is set to remain a key driver of sales, with cocktails continuing to play a central role. The premium end of the category continues to outperform the wider Spirits market as shoppers look for affordable ways to elevate their celebrations. Premium Spirits such as Jameson provide a wide range of price points for shoppers to trade up, from fractionals, price-marked-packs and the new Jameson, Ginger and Lime ready-to-drink (RTD) 330ml can for hosting, or its Original 70cl Irish Whiskey and higher-styles such as Jameson Triple Triple for gifting.
“Christmas remains a make-or-break period for the Spirits category and premium products are proving to be the real winners,” said Chris Shead, Off-Trade Channel Director for Pernod Ricard UK. “There’s plenty to play for with shoppers seeing the value in spirits, especially when you consider there are 28 serves in a bottle. Helping them trade up is where retailers can really drive growth. It’s true shoppers may not have as much disposable income as they did five years ago and this is where offering a range of formats, including ready-to-drink and ready-to-serve options provide hosts with the ability to offer their guests choice without having to folk out on full price bottles.”
New Festive Formats
Convenience continues to be a bright spot for the spirits category, with vodka accounting for 46 per cent of sales. Pernod Ricard UK is investing in fractional formats and price-marked packs (PMPs) to help retailers capture this demand, including new PMPs for Malibu, Jameson and Absolut launching in December. RTDs remain one of the fastest-growing segments in the total drinks market and within this buoyant category, Altos Margarita Classic Lime is now the UK’s biggest ready-to-serve product. Perfect for offering bar-quality Margaritas poured straight from the bottle.
Bubble Are Back!
Despite ongoing cost-of-living pressures, Champagne is enjoying a strong revival in the Off-Trade, with volumes of Mumm and Perrier-Jouet in double-digit growth year-on-year. Shoppers are increasingly willing to spend on high-margin, celebratory products during key moments of conviviality, making Champagne a profitable addition to festive ranges. Retailers who ‘back bubbles’ can help offset softer performance in certain spirit categories, such as gin, while tapping into consumer appetite for affordable luxury.
Offering Something Special
Pernod Ricard UK is also looking to ignite the Espresso Martini craze with a collaboration between Kahlúa and Tony’s Chocolonely. This exciting initiative brings the Espresso MarTony experience directly into the hands of consumers, combining the rich coffee liqueur taste of Kahlúa with the indulgent crunch of Tiny Tony’s chocolates, creating the perfect pairing to elevate cocktail moments this winter.
Launching from this week, the campaign will see over 100,000 Tiny Tony’s chocolates distributed across the UK, including the Off-Trade, inviting consumers to enjoy the ultimate Espresso Martini accompaniment. Tiny Tony’s Salted Caramel neck tags will be available across major grocers, with a QR code through to one of the brand’s biggest-ever competitions – the chance to win a year’s supply of Kahlúa and Tony’s, Nespresso Machines or Kahlúa MarTony gift boxes. Convenience retailers can also direct their customers to participate via the Kahlua website.
Amplifying the campaign’s reach beyond the bar, Pernod Ricard UK is also launching a robust influencer and social media program, expected to deliver over 1.6 million impressions via content creators showcasing the Espresso MarTony serve. This digital push will fuel consumer awareness and encourage experimentation with the cocktail at home or in bars.
And finally, Bumbu rum will be offering customers a bespoke gift-with-purchase this Christmas, a branded glass that can be used to enjoy whilst hosting or gifted in the Christmas stocking of a rum-lover!