Drinks List 2019

Gordons is number one top-selling gin

By Nikkie Sutton

- Last updated on GMT

On top: there were more than 3m hectolitres of Gordons gin sold in the on-trade in the 12 months to August 2018
On top: there were more than 3m hectolitres of Gordons gin sold in the on-trade in the 12 months to August 2018
Diageo-owned brand Gordons has been unveiled as the country’s best-selling gin, according to new data.

The research is part of The Morning Advertiser​’s list of the best-selling drinks for the pub trade – The Drinks List.

The top gins were named as:

1.            Gordons

2.            Bombay Sapphire

3.            Gordons Pink Gin

4.            Tanqueray

5.            Hendricks

Sales increase

Gordons sold 312,516 hectolitres (HL) in the 12 months to 11 August 2018 – a rise of 6.7% from 292,772 the previous year. Value sales also saw a rise from £265m to £290.8m, an increase of 9.7%.

In second place was Bombay Sapphire, which saw an even bigger growth in sales, a rise of 7.9% to 109,349HL from 101,316HL.

This year has seen the huge trend of pink gin emerge and Gordons pink variety represents this in third place, selling 105,122HL in the past 12 months, and £102.2m in terms of value.

In fourth was Tanqueray, which saw the biggest rise in volume sales across the top five gins, selling 83,418HL this year, compared to 62,608HL in the previous 12 months (up 33.2%).

Significant growth

Similar results were shown in the value side with £105.3m this year, an increase of 35.8% from £77.5m.

Hendricks also saw significant growth in its volume and value sales. In the 12 months to 11 August 2018, Hendricks’ volume sales were 54,657H L–  but fast-forward a year and this was up 25.5% to 67,357HL.

Volume sales were a similar story with £89.4m worth sold in the past year, compared to £69.5m in the previous period (a difference of 28.6%).

The list​ was compiled by CGA based on consumer preference, equity scores and sales metrics and includes brands from the spirits, wine, softs and LAD categories.

Consumer opinion forms the basis of the methodology, highlighting the brands that consumers want to see when they visit the on-trade. As such a 66:33 weighted split was used to determine the list, balancing consumer preferences with actual on-trade sales performance to give the most accurate and comprehensive list of the 100 ultimate drinks brands in the GB on-trade.

By measuring brands against a number of equity features, we have also uncovered consumers’ perceptions of brands and the reasons why they make up the nation’s favourite drinks, asking if they are cool, fun, value for money, etc. 

  • All data provided by CGA, which looks at the 12 months to 11 August 2018

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