Sales of flavoured gin soar 751% in UK

The value of the UK’s flavoured gin market increased by a staggering 751% in 2018, when total sales of the juniper spirit hit 73 million bottles, according to new data.

Gin sales are predicted to rise ahead of Mother’s Day

Together, UK gin sales and exports for 2018 are now worth more than £2.7 billion (US$3.5bn), according to the Wine and Spirit Trade Association.

Last year, the WSTA said that UK gin sales had broken the £2bn (US$2.6bn) barrier for the first time.

The WSTA’s latest Market Report reveals that sales of gin during the 12-week Christmas period to 29 December 2018 were up 40% on the same period in 2017.

During the first quarter of the last two years, figures show that sales of gin peak in March, in the run up to Mother’s Day (31 March) in the UK.

Between January and March 2017, gin sold in UK supermarkets and shops reached 6.4m bottles, of which 2.6m (41%) of those bottles were sold during March.

Over the same 12-week period last year, nine million bottles of gin were sold, of which 4.7m (52%) of those bottles were sold during March.

The WSTA also noted the growth of flavoured gin, which was valued at £165m (US$216m) in 2018 – a 751% growth compared to 2017.

Miles Beale, chief executive of the WSTA, said: “The truly staggering rise in gin sales shows that British gin is gaining more and more fans by the day. And we fully expect to see sales rise again in March this year, just as they did last year.

“The latest expression of the UK’s fastest growing spirit – pink gin – is one of the ‘go-to’ gifts for Mother’s Day.

“It’s high time gin’s new status and reputation were celebrated and supported by government, which should be offering more support for British gin exports and a less taxing duty regime, both of which fail to support our entrepreneurial and innovative distillers.”