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UK gin sales hit record 51 million bottles in 2017
A record 51 million bottles of gin worth almost £1.4 billion were bought in the UK in 2017, an increase of 27% in volume (the equivalent of over 9.5 million bottles) compared to 2016.
According to the latest figures released by the Wine and Spirit Trade Association, gin sales in the UK broke another record in 2017.
This was in part boosted by performance over the festive period, with gin sales up £104 million over Christmas compared to the same period in 2016.
The WSTA’s latest market report has revealed that over 16 million bottles of gin, worth £413 million, were sold in the 12 weeks to 31 December 2017. Sales were up by 28% in volume, the equivalent of 3.5 million bottles, over the festive period, it has been revealed.
The largest growth was seen in UK supermarkets and shops, which reported a 38% rise in value and 28% in volume sales in the 12 weeks to 30 December, compared to the same period last year.
Gin is now a £1.9 billion industry in the UK, meaning it’s on track to reach £2 billion this year, as predicted by the WSTA. The 2017 IWSR forecast report also predicted that gin would grow by 37.2% by 2021.
Last month, it was revealed that exports of British gin reached a record high of £530 million 2017, having more than doubled in the past decade.
Sales and export figures have been boosted by a rise in the number of distilleries in the UK. According to HMRC, a total of 49 new distilleries were opened in the UK in 2017, bringing the total to 315 and representing a 127% rise in five years.
Chief executive of the Wine and Spirit Trade Association, Miles Beale, said: “We were amazed by the growth of gin in 2016, but 2017 sales of the quintessentially British spirit have surpassed all records again.
“At the WSTA we are constantly being asked what is the magic formula behind the growth in gin sales? It is a delightful combination of a quality British product steeped in history combined with skilful innovation by UK distillers who are producing a huge range of gins catering for the consumers’ increasingly sophisticated palettes.
“The versatility of gin with its diverse use of botanicals means there is now a gin out there for everyone. The popularity of giving gin as a gift means we are expecting sparkling sales for Mother’s Day”.