Tequila sales up 94% in two years

Sales of Tequila in UK supermarkets have almost doubled in value in the last two years, new data has revealed.

The Wine and Spirit Trade Association’s (WSTA) latest market report has shown that Tequila’s volume sales have risen by 83% compared to pre-Covid levels, and up by 94% in value, in UK-based shops and supermarkets.

Miles Beale, chief executive of the WSTA, said: “Tequila has shown a steady rate of growth in the last few years, but our latest market report reveals that sales in our supermarkets and shops have seen a real boost compared to pre-pandemic times.

“Consumers have shifted their drinking habits, are experimenting with cocktail making at home and are willing to spend more on premium sipping spirits.”

In the UK’s pubs and restaurants, the Tequila category is shown to have outgrown pre-Covid times by 8% in volume and 11% in value.

According to the WSTA, experts have accredited the rapid growth to ‘Brits exploring and finding new ways to appreciate the drink’.

People have also recently switched from shot consumption to using the spirit as a sipping drink, therefore are ‘willing to pay more for a premium product’.

Rashidi Hodari, managing director of Tequila, global brand house at Beam Suntory, commented: “We’re continuing to see rapid growth in the Tequila category, particularly in the super- and ultra-premium segments. As more people reappraise the category, they’re often reaching for high-quality brands to add to their collection.

“We know consumers are increasingly appreciating Tequila’s versatility and searching for the right Tequila for different moments in their lives – that could mean sipping it neat to appreciate the craftsmanship of the liquid or responsibly enjoyed in a celebratory cocktail.”

Before the first lockdown (March 2020), sales of Tequila in UK shops and supermarkets were recorded to be worth £17m (US$20.5m).

In the 12 months to 26 March 2022, sales were worth £33m (US$39m), which equates to a 94% increase in sales.

Also, in this period a total of 3.4m Tequila bottles were sold in the UK on- and off-trade combined, worth £224m (US$269m).

Comparatively, in the 12 months to 21 March 2020, 2.6 million bottles of Tequila were sold in the UK, totalling £189m (US$227m).

Hodari added: “We see an opportunity to lean into those special occasions while also looking ahead to expanding globally as the category continues to break into new markets. We’ll continue to meet Tequila-drinker’s needs with our portfolio spanning a range of subcategories, occasions, taste preferences and price points.”

We recently rounded up the top nine best-selling Tequilas brands.

Plus, the WSTA recently shared its response to the alcohol duty review delay.