Paving the way back to tasting

Quarter of licensed premises remain closed as ‘rule of six’ rolls out nationwide

Nearly a quarter of Britain’s licensed premises were still to reopen at the end of August, with the London market particularly slow to recover, new data has shown.

Consumers positive about Eat Out to Help Out scheme

Consumers were very happy with the levels of hygiene and cleanliness they encountered during the Eat Out to Help Out scheme, according to an extensive survey conducted by CGA, UK Hospitality and Yumpingo.

End of Eat Out to Help Out signals new phase for restaurants

Food sales went through the roof in the first three weeks of the government’s The Eat Out to Help Out (EOHO) scheme, helping to normalise going out for Brits and jumpstarting the UK hospitality industry back towards health and prosperity.

Major brands “reallocating” funds away from on-trade into e-commerce and DTC

The Covid-19 pandemic is facilitating a long-term shift among many of the world’s leading drinks brands’ strategies, it has been suggested, as owners begin to adopt a more “nuanced” approach to channel distribution.

Alcohol sales knocked by lockdown

Despite the marked shift from on-trade to home drinking, lockdown could still leave a sobering £7bn hole in total UK alcohol sales, as Andrew Catchpole reports.

"Hammer blow" to on-trade from Covid-19, report predicts

Drinking occasions have "been dealt a hammer blow” a new report into the impact of the Covid-19 crisis on consumer markets has concluded. 

‘Diversity and flexibility’ may replace specialism longer term

Such has been the upheaval wrought by the Covid pandemic that drinks businesses may have to remain agile in the longer term to meet a changed consumer landscape, with the days of specialism in one route or approach to market numbered.

Alcohol weathers Covid-19 peaks and troughs to become second highest food and drink growth category

Alcohol has weathered the storm of the coronavirus, new figures show, beating packaged foods and other beverages to see a 25% uplift in value sales since the beginning of lockdown.

Change of pace: How Covid/climate pressures are accelerating innovation of packaging and design

With drinks fast evolving to meet consumer trends, design and packaging has an ever more important role in communicating change, writes Andrew Catchpole

Echo Falls launches Botanicals wine range

Accolade Wines is sandwiching two trends together for its latest release: a botanically infused, low abv wine aimed at the younger generation.

Living with Lockdown – Daniel Lambert Wines

Agent-importer Daniel Lambert talks to Andrew Catchpole about bypassing critics and trade with live access to winemakers, the dangers of having all eggs in one basket and why its boom time for indies.

Still wine wins out as UK drinking occasions rise to new heights

The UK’s 28 million wine consumers have found new and more occasions to enjoy their favourite drink, according to new research from Wine Intelligence.

The B2C shift: Driving it home

The coronavirus (Covid-19) has opened up a new world of B2C engagement for businesses offering a lifeline to consumers stuck inside their homes, as Jo Gilbert reports. 

Drinks brands should “radically rethink” B2C social media messages

Against the disruption of coronavirus (Covid-19), drinks brands “need to radically rethink their key messages when communicating with consumers on social media”, according to IWSR.

Coronavirus could kickstart "radical change in stagnant" wine trade, tech entrepreneur predicts

The coronavirus (Covid-19) crisis could kickstart radical change in the wine trade, a Silicon Valley entrepreneur has predicted.

Friday Read: UK wineries battle coronavirus crisis with British determination

Rapidly slowing exports, a pivoting to direct to consumer sales as on-trade sales stall and vineyards on lock down – such is the picture of the UK wine industry today as it grapples with the ongoing disruption from the spread of the coronavirus (Covid-19).

Yellow Tail and Casillero del Diablo continue dominance of global power list

Australia and Chile have once again topped Wine Intelligence’s list of the world’s power brands, with Yellow Tail and Casillero del Diablo holding onto their spots in first and second place for the third year in a row.

Premiumisation arrives in Portugal

Portugal’s wine drinkers have upped their spending significantly over the last two years, according to a new report from Wine Intelligence.

Brexit boost for Boris from UK consumer businesses

Consumer businesses are overwhelmingly confident that the government will negotiate a good Brexit deal, according to a new survey from financial services consultancy RSM.