Could Bank Holiday see English wine sales rise by 500%?

Bibendum is gearing up for a spike in English wine sales over the Bank Holiday weekend after figures from the same period last year showed a 500% jump compared with the rest of August.

The celebratory mood over the 2015 August Bank Holiday contributed to a 500% spike in English wine sales compared with the rest of the month, Bibendum said

In 2015 Bibendum sold 159% more wine overall in the two weeks prior to the August Bank Holiday weekend than in the previous two weeks of the month.

Data from last year showed a 500% increase in sales of English wine over the Bank Holiday weekend compared with the rest of the month; a 400% increase in sales of wine from the Languedoc Roussillon region; and a 268% increase in sales of Sicilian wine.

The distributor is hoping for a repeat of this sales uplift if the current good weather holds.

Although forecasts now suggest that the current heatwave is likely to dissipate before the Bank Holiday, with thundery showers predicted for northern and north-western areas of the UK, according to the Met Office, the south is still expected to be dry and sunny for most of the duration.

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Bibendum’s analyses have come after db reported that sales of wine, beer and cider have been given a welcome boost in August thanks to the combined effects of a heatwave and Olympic celebrations, which, according to Nielsen, have compensated for what has otherwise been a “torrid year” for drinks retailers.

Using data taken from its recently relaunched Plonk app, Bibendum is predicting the following trends will unfold over the course of the Bank Holiday weekend:

• A “significantly” higher number of people enjoy wines from Argentina and Chile at the weekend than any other country.
• Champagne corks will be popping on Friday as Plonk data indicates the number of users enjoying bubbly on a Friday is significantly higher than on any other day of the week.
• Chardonnay will be the most popular grape enjoyed on Saturday.
• Chenin Blanc and Viognier sales will rise, with Plonk users seven times more likely to drink these varieties at the weekend.

In addition, Bibendum’s Market Update – released yesterday, highlights the current trends for rosé, light reds and magnums.

In further news from the drinks company, Bibendum’s industry leading insights team has created a new data tool to capture on-trade wine trends as they emerge.

Called ‘Mode’, the tool will be used to select the product line-up for the Bibendum Autumn customer tastings this September.

Rather than relying on sales data, which doesn’t reveal trends until after they have begun, Mode analyses the latest wine lists from market-leading venues in order to identofy how the industry is developing. It then tracks these influences to follow how they take hold and spread.

With this information, Bibendum says it can identify future trends before they start and advise customers looking to add something different to their list. 

Alex Linsley, head of market insight at Bibendum, said: “With Mode we can help our customers create lists that make them stand out from the mainstream.  Customers regularly ask us ‘What’s cool?’ as they look ahead to the next big thing – Mode can offer them a definitive answer to this question.

“It’s not restricted to just the on-trade either,” he added. “We introduced Mode to a premium national retailer recently and they were very interested in the findings. Off-trade sales data just shows them what their competitors have already sold; Mode data can tell them what’s going to sell in the future, giving them the insight to roll out in their stores when the time is right.”