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Fuel PR looks at Summer Cider Trends 2018

Fuel PR looks at Summer Cider Trends 2018


With Summer’s hot weather starting to beam down on the UK, cooling summer ciders will be getting a timely boost; in fact, over a quarter of Brits (27%) drink more alcohol when the weather gets warmer [1]. With this Summer’s World Cup, it is likely this figure will increase even more substantially. What this means for alcohol producers, particularly in the cider industry, is an increased emphasis placed on sales volume over this period. Over the next couple months there are some big trends to look out for with British Cider.

As with the beer industry, craft ciders have been growing consistently for a number of years. The trend towards craft in the cider industry gains added significance however, when you consider a noticeable lack of brand-loyalty present in the industry. Remarkably, only 18% of cider consumers are loyal to just one brand, compared with 38% who consistently switch between brands. One reason for this lack of brand-loyalty is the common perception that there is a negligible difference in taste between branded ciders, held by 31% of drinkers/buyers2. One such cider, looking to capitalise on the low brand loyalty present in the category is Taunton. The Taunton Cider Company says that whilst the overall market grew last year by 5.5%, sales of its premium craft products exceeded this by five times over, reflecting changing consumer preferences.

The next trend to follow, which could help give with an added sales boost in these key months is the trend towards smaller sizes, as consumers become more health-conscious with regards to their personal alcohol intake. Small quantities lower the number of units of alcohol per can/bottle and the overall calorie content. The desire for smaller quantities is exemplified in the markets for premium ciders, where producers can capitalise on the fact that roughly 60% of drinkers/buyers prefer to drink a smaller quantity of a premium cider than larger quantity of a standard one [2].

Regardless on the form or quantity, you can be absolutely certain that millions of Brits will be enjoying an ice-cold refreshing cider on these hot summer days. One of the best tasting cider’s you could go for this summer is the ICC Gold medal winning 2016 Vintage from Taunton Cider Co.

For more information on Taunton Cider Co. and their range of extraordinary ciders, please contact Sophie Heilbron or Susan Leigh at sophie@fuelrefuel.com / susan@fuelrefuel.com or call 0207 498 8211.

1 https://www.opinium.co.uk/brits-drink-more-alcohol-in-warmer-weather/
 2 (Mintel, 2018)