End of Dry January sees alcohol sales rocket

ALCOHOL sales have bounced back this month after Dry January came to an end.

Increasing numbers of drinkers are going ‘on the wagon’ at the start of the year – much to the despair of the nation’s publicans.

But it seems many are eager to quench their thirst when the month of abstinence finally comes to an end.

Figures from market research group Kantar show supermarket sales of alcohol jumped 18 pc in February, with drinkers buying 28 pc more red wine and 16 pc more beer than in January.

That amounted to 8 m more bottles of red wine being sold this month than last.

In a boost for millions of households, Kantar also said food prices are rising at the slowest pace for two years – although they are still up 5.3 pc on 12 months ago. Super

‘Things are looking up for shoppers’

market tills were also ringing ahead of Valentine’s Day.

Shoppers spent £36 m on romantic meal deals costing £10 or more in the week leading up to February 14. And sales of steak and chocolate boxes increased by 12 pc and 16 pc in the same week.

Tom Steel, strategic insight director at Kantar, said: ‘Things are looking up for shoppers this February.’

Meanwhile, supermarkets have embarked on a price war to entice customers through their doors as inflation cools.

Tesco increased its market share to 27.6 pc in the 12 weeks to February 18 from 27.3 pc a year earlier, while Sainsbury’s grew to 15.6 pc from 15.2 pc.

Lidl has been the fastest growing grocer for six months in a row and has 7.5 pc of the market compared to 7.1 pc a year ago.