#PubOpsClub: Tap water costs the pub trade £700m in lost profits

18-Feb-2014 - Last updated on 20-Feb-2014 at 08:50 GMT

Some 45% of pubgoers said they would stay in pubs longer if the range of soft drinks improved

Pubs need to be aware of what they are losing in terms of tap water “sales”, said Smith of Freedrinks, the firm behind new “tingly” soft drink Zeo.

The start-up commissioned market-research firm HIM! to talk to pubgoers about why and when they opted for tap water.

The findings showed that 32% of people would have ordered a soft drink instead of tap water in a pub because they weren’t offered an alternative.

Some 45% also said they would stay in pubs longer if the range of soft drinks improved — yet 62% of publicans don’t do anything to encourage soft-drinks sales in pubs.

“Here we have the perfect storm,” Smith told delegates at last week's PubOpsClub. “A desire for healthier food and drinks, a fall in alcoholic consumption per capita and evidence that people are disappointed with the current soft-drinks offer.”

Freedrinks estimates the lost profit from this to be £700m across the pub trade.

Smith set pubs a challenge to stock Zeo and use the support offered by Freedrinks to boost their “soft-drinks sales, profitability and dwell time”.