CGA by NIQ’s new On Premise Consumer Pulse Report reveals that summer is a key time for drinks suppliers to invest in innovation and activation, with Australian consumers drinking more across all categories, and more likely to experiment.

Across the Australian On Premise, February saw food-led occasions remain consistent versus last month, but drinks-led visits saw a sharp 7 percentage point increase compared to January. Consumers who have visited pubs, bars and restaurants more often in the past month stated this was to treat themselves, and also due to the time of year, with summer typically seeing higher visitation in the On Premise.

With an uptick in drinks-led visits, consumers have also been exploring more drinks categories – with Cocktails seeing a +6pp increase versus the 12 month average, and Spirits up +5pp. Unsurprisingly, given its reputation as a favourite over summer, Cider also saw an increase of +2pp.

Summer not only ushers in a greater percentage of consumers consuming multiple categories, it also sees Australian On Premise visitors becoming more experimental in their drinks choices. Nearly three-quarters (73%) of visitors to Australia’s pubs, bars, and restaurants stated they are likely to experiment with drinks in some way, with 52% likely to experiment with Cocktails, 49% likely to mix it up in terms of drinks brands, while 46% would try new serve styles (i.e., draught, can, or bottle).

When it comes to the top categories consumed over summer, 27% of consumers drink soft drinks more often, followed by Beer (21%), Cocktails (19%), and RTDs (17%). During this time of year, it’s no shock to see that a key priority for consumers choosing drinks is that it’s served cold (75%) and is refreshing (72%), however On Premise users in Australia also tend to lean towards fruity and sweet flavours over the summer. The season also sees On Premise users opt more often for casual dining restaurants (52%), and pubs (46%), with the hotter weather seeing consumers more likely to visit venues for casual occasions.

James Phillips, Client Solutions Director – ANZ, said: “For drinks suppliers, the summer season presents major opportunities for NPD (new product development), but also highlights a key period for brand activation within the On Premise, to increase visibility over competing brands. However, promotional activity should be tailored to suit the season – with summer in Australia characterised by casual occasions at casual venues. Our clients unlock the potential of their brand’s during summer and key selling periods by utilising CGA by NielsenIQ’s OPUS survey to uncover how to tailor your activations across these important occasions, channels and categories.”

Download the latest Australia Consumer Pulse Report here – https://cgastrategy.com/australia-on-premise-impact-report-consumer/  

To learn more about CGA by NielsenIQ’s consumer research and market measurement services across both Australia and New Zealand, please contact James Phillips at james.phillips@nielseniq.com

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