London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Wednesday, Oct 22, 2025

Shoppers stockpile alcohol amid pubs shutdown

Shoppers stockpile alcohol amid pubs shutdown

The coronavirus pandemic has meant that British people have been forced to stay in to try to contain its spread.

And many are buying more alcohol to drink at home as a result.

Alcohol sales in supermarkets and corner shops jumped by 22% in March, according to consumer analysts Kantar.

Total sales of wine, beer and spirits topped £1.1bn in the four weeks to 22 March. An extra £199m was added compared with the same period in 2019.

Growth in sales of alcoholic drinks outstripped that of food purchases, even as customers stockpiled goods such as pasta or rice in preparation for having to self-isolate.

Online retailer Naked Wines said that more people were also ordering drinks for delivery. On Thursday, the company said that it now expected sales in 2020 to top existing forecasts, exceeding £200m.

English winemaker Chapel Down also recently toasted a surge in sales, due to the coronavirus-related lockdown.

It said that an increase in off-trade and online sales should compensate for losses seen because of the closure of pubs, bars and restaurants.

Elaine Hindal, chief executive of the charity Drinkaware, said that the rise in sales "isn't surprising", but cited concerns when it came to drinking during lockdown.

"Having alcohol available in homes, for many people, can be a source of temptation and lead to drinking without thinking," she said.

She added: "Small things can quickly turn into habits, like opening a bottle of wine in the afternoon when you normally wouldn't.

"It's important to remember that the more you drink, the more you increase your tolerance for alcohol, and over time, this can lead to dependency."


Sobering reports

Other drinks businesses have said, however, that they expect sales to slide as pubs and bars remain shut.

Guinness and Smirnoff owner Diageo, for example, said on Thursday that containment measures were "having a significant impact" on its performance.

Meanwhile, the boss of pub chain Wetherspoons previously said that the company had "no money coming in through the tills" of its 850 UK pubs.

The hospitality sector, the third largest employer in the UK, faces a huge challenge as potential customers stay away.

In a bid to help those affected, Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced a year-long business rates "holiday" for all retail, leisure and hospitality firms.


Shifting consumer mindset

Although online and off-trade sales might make up for some losses, some analysts have questioned whether that trend will continue.

Market research firm Mintel told the BBC that in its latest consumer survey, 20% of adults said they expected to spend less on alcohol over the next month.

Kiti Soininen, one of the firm's research directors, said: "While there was an early increase in retail sales of alcoholic drinks, this consumer mindset suggests that overall, the lockdown will hit the alcoholic drinks market."

She added: "A lot of that volume will just be completely lost from the market... [It] makes sense because food is a necessity, while alcohol is discretionary."

As disruption continues, some firms may be forced to shift their focus.

The Scottish craft brewer BrewDog, for example, started producing hand sanitiser last month amid shortages of the alcohol-based cleaner.

Its founder, James Watt, said that it had distributed 100,000 bottles made in its Aberdeenshire distillery to various charities.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
‘Frightening’ First Night in Prison for Sarkozy: Inmates Riot and Shout ‘Little Nicolas’
White House Announces No Imminent Summit Between Trump and Putin
US and Qatar Warn EU of Trade and Energy Risks from Tough Climate Regulation
Apple Challenges EU Digital Markets Act Crackdown in Landmark Court Battle
Nicolas Sarkozy begins five-year prison term at La Santé in Paris
Japan stocks surge to record as Sanae Takaichi becomes Prime Minister
This Is How the 'Heist of the Century' Was Carried Out at the Louvre in Seven Minutes: France Humiliated as Crown with 2,000 Diamonds Vanishes
China Warns UK of ‘Consequences’ After Delay to London Embassy Approval
France’s Wealthy Shift Billions to Luxembourg and Switzerland Amid Tax and Political Turmoil
"Sniper Position": Observation Post Targeting 'Air Force One' Found Before Trump’s Arrival in Florida
Shouting Match at the White House: 'Trump Cursed, Threw Maps, and Told Zelensky – "Putin Will Destroy You"'
Windows’ Own ‘Siri’ Has Arrived: You Can Now Talk to Your Computer
Thailand and Singapore Investigate Cambodian-Based Prince Group as U.S. and U.K. Sanctions Unfold
‘No Kings’ Protests Inflate Numbers — But History Shows Nations Collapse Without Strong Executive Power
Chinese Tech Giants Halt Stablecoin Launches After Beijing’s Regulatory Intervention
Manhattan Jury Holds BNP Paribas Liable for Enabling Sudanese Government Abuses
Trump Orders Immediate Release of Former Congressman George Santos After Commuting Prison Sentence
S&P Downgrades France’s Credit Rating, Citing Soaring Debt and Political Instability
Ofcom Rules BBC’s Gaza Documentary ‘Materially Misleading’ Over Narrator’s Hamas Ties
Diane Keaton’s Cause of Death Revealed as Pneumonia, Family Confirms
Former Lostprophets Frontman Ian Watkins Stabbed to Death in British Prison
"The Tsunami Is Coming, and It’s Massive": The World’s Richest Man Unveils a New AI Vision
Outsider, Heroine, Trailblazer: Diane Keaton Was Always a Little Strange — and Forever One of a Kind
Dramatic Development in the Death of 'Mango' Founder: Billionaire's Son Suspected of Murder
Two Years of Darkness: The Harrowing Testimonies of Israeli Hostages Emerging From Gaza Captivity
EU Moves to Use Frozen Russian Assets to Buy U.S. Weapons for Ukraine
Europe Emerges as the Biggest Casualty in U.S.-China Rare Earth Rivalry
HSBC Confronts Strategic Crossroads as NAB Seeks Only Retail Arm in Australia Exit
U.S. Chamber Sues Trump Over $100,000 H-1B Visa Fee
Shenzhen Expo Spotlights China’s Quantum Step in Semiconductor Self-Reliance
China Accelerates to the Forefront in Global Nuclear Fusion Race
Yachts, Private Jets, and a Picasso Painting: Exposed as 'One of the Largest Frauds in History'
Australia’s Wedgetail Spies Aid NATO Response as Russian MiGs Breach Estonian Airspace
McGowan Urges Chalmers to Cut Spending Over Tax Hike to Close $20 Billion Budget Gap
Victoria Orders Review of Transgender Prison Placement Amid Safety Concerns for Female Inmates
U.S. Treasury Mobilises New $20 Billion Debt Facility to Stabilise Argentina
French Business Leaders Decry Budget as Macron’s Pro-Enterprise Promise Undermined
Trump Claims Modi Pledged India Would End Russian Oil Imports Amid U.S. Tariff Pressure
Surging AI Startup Valuations Fuel Bubble Concerns Among Top Investors
Australian Punter Archie Wilson Tears Up During Nebraska Press Conference, Sparking Conversation on Male Vulnerability
Australia Confirms U.S. Access to Upgraded Submarine Shipyard Under AUKUS Deal
“Firepower” Promised for Ukraine as NATO Ministers Meet — But U.S. Tomahawks Remain Undecided
Brands Confront New Dilemma as Extremists Adopt Fashion Labels
The Sydney Sweeney and Jeans Storm: “The Outcome Surpassed Our Wildest Dreams”
Erika Kirk Delivers Moving Tribute at White House as Trump Awards Charlie Presidential Medal of Freedom
British Food Influencer ‘Big John’ Detained in Australia After Visa Dispute
ScamBodia: The Chinese Fraud Empire Shielded by Cambodia’s Ruling Elite
French PM Suspends Macron’s Pension Reform Until After 2027 in Bid to Stabilize Government
Orange, Bouygues and Free Make €17 Billion Bid for Drahi’s Altice France Telecom Assets
Dutch Government Seizes Chipmaker After U.S. Presses for Removal of Chinese CEO
×