Winter holidays are the time to celebrate booming beer sales. But how do you make sure you’re enticing shoppers to trade up for their big bash? Here’s how prioritising premium can boost sales.
Christmas and New Year is one of the biggest trading periods for the beer and cider category in convenience. It’s worth a huge £748m [Nielsen], with impulse sales making up £159m [Nielsen] of this total figure. Within this, the premium lager category booms during the festive season as shoppers look to trade up at convenience store tills.
While every beer buy is valuable, now’s the time when premium lager really comes into its own – contributing to 62% [Nielsen] of sales as people seek something extra-special. It’s a time when shoppers looking to celebrate tend to choose brands such as Birra Moretti, Heineken UK’s premium world lager.
In the last four weeks of 2024, Birra Moretti’s sales reached £24.5m in the off-trade, an uplift of 4.2% compared to the previous year [Nielsen]. That’s thanks to the strong appeal of its growing portfolio which includes Birra Moretti L’Autentica (4.6% ABV), Birra Moretti Sale di Mare (4.8% ABV) and Birra Moretti Zero (0.05% ABV).
So how can retailers maximise the premium opportunity this party season? Here’s some sound seasonal advice from Gemma Sapstead, senior brand manager for Birra Moretti at Heineken UK.
Activate with impact
Retailers should embrace opportunities to bring the festive occasion to life in their stores. This could include playing festive music, hanging decorations and prioritising festive-themed SKUs to create shopper excitement.
Focusing on in-store Christmas and New Year’s Eve displays can also drive sales. Building impactful activations and collaborating with suppliers like Heineken UK to introduce point-of-sale (POS), such as posters and banners, can draw customers in because they know their seasonal needs will be met.
Across grocery, wholesale and convenience channels, new festive packaging has been rolled out for 10x330ml, 12x330ml and 18x330ml multipacks of Birra Moretti L’Autentica. The packaging features bespoke Birra Moretti snowflakes with a foil finish, making it unmissable this festive season.
Stocking up on these choice formats can increase shelf stand-out and enhance look and feel for shoppers, whether they’re preparing for festive get-togethers or making a gift of premium lager.
Cater to different occasions
Winter brings gatherings both big and small. So retailers need to cater for people looking to stock up for parties in anticipation of increased demand, as well as shoppers seeking small to mid-size packs for those grab-and-go moments.
When it comes to bestselling formats, mid and large packs are the most popular as shoppers stock up ahead of the big day [Nielsen]. That’s where Birra Moretti’s extensive range will really stand out.
In fact, two of the bestsellers in the Heineken UK portfolio over the festive season are Birra Moretti 12x330ml and 10x330ml packs.
This festive growth makes it a priority stock for retailers – with 10x330ml packs seeing a 104% year on year uplift in December [Nielsen]. This format size appeals to people hosting parties or who’re looking to make sure they’re well-stocked way before December.
It’s also important for retailers to ensure they’ve a healthy stock of smaller formats, such as the Birra Moretti 4x330ml packs and single bottles in 330ml and 660ml. These smaller packs make easy-to-transport options for shoppers on their way to festive gatherings or seasonal parties.
Offer an inclusive range
No- and low-alcohol brands are big news at Christmas – driving a huge 20.4% spike in sales [Nielsen] .
More consumers are assessing their alcohol intake – either cutting it out completely or looking to drink in moderation. This shift means demand for no and low options stays solid throughout the year, before peaking at Christmas.
It’s a massive opportunity for retailers to get ahead of the seasonal surge and stock up on popular no and low products.
Birra Moretti Zero – worth £5.1m in the off-trade [Nielsen] – is helping shape the category. Offering the same great taste as Birra Moretti L’Autentica, Birra Moretti Zero should be a key consideration for retailers when thinking about must-stocks.
As the category continues to grow, consumers are getting a thirst for innovation and searching for premium flavours. This gives retailers the perfect chance to explore exciting new products.
Establishing itself as a trusted brand in the category, retailers should consider stocking Birra Moretti L’Autentica in their stores, as well as recent innovations, such as Birra Moretti Sale di Mare (worth £11.3m [Nielsen]) to maximise the opportunity to boost lager sales.
As Gemma Sapstead explains: “Christmas is a particularly valuable time of year for Birra Moretti as shoppers look to branch out into premium options to make the festive season even more special. Our broad range of formats target a range of occasions which retailers should keep in mind when thinking about what to stock in their stores.”
Retailers can access beer category advice and product information ahead of the festive period by visiting Heineken UK’s Star Retailer platform at www.starretailer.co.uk/.
