Pubs continue to see alcohol sales slide to supermarkets

Pubs and bars have continued to loose ground to the supermarkets with 41% of the country's beer now purchased off-trade, according to new figures.

The latest Statistical Handbook published by the British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA) clearly charts the sales explosion of alcohol from shops and supermarkets, which made up 33% of total sales back in 2000, and just 30% eight years ago.

Despite the rapid rise in off-sales, alcohol consumption per head actually dipped in the UK last year by 1.6% to 8.4 litres, the first time since 1998.

And contrary to the nation's binge drinking reputation, BBPA figures show Brits still lag behind the French (9.8 litres per head), Germans (10 litres per head) and Spanish (9.8 litres per head) in the drinking league of alcohol consumed.

But the UK Government continues to enjoy healthy tax revenues from the alcohol sector, with income from excise duties and VAT reaching £14b in 2005/06.

Taxes on beer alone, which remains the nation's favourite alcoholic drink, raised £6b.

On a pence-per-pint basis across the European Union, UK beer is out-taxed only in Finland and Ireland and is over three-times the European average.

Mark Hastings, director of communications at BBPA, said: "It is the increase in drink bought for consumption at home that tells the real story of the nation's changing drinking habits."

Copies of the Statistical Handbook 2006 are available from the BBPA.

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By Chris Druce

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