Overall, year-on-year the beer market is down 1.4%, which represents a significant slowdown in the rate of decline and the best result since the second quarter of 2006, the last time there was a like-for-like quarterly rise.
More than 2.2 billion pints were sold from April to June 2010, the best performance since the fourth quarter of 2008. Beer sales were 625 million pints up on the first quarter and 63 million pints up on the same period in 2009.
Pub beer sales were down 6.3% on the same period in 2009. However, sales were 166 million pints up on the first three months of 2010. Almost 1.1 billion pints were sold in pubs during April to June compared with 923 million in January to March.
Sales in supermarkets and shops rose by 13.7% in the second quarter. Year-on-year sales are also up by 4.4%.
On the back of the figures, the BBPA is now petitioning the government to introduce, as part of the forthcoming Review of Alcohol Taxation, a sustained freeze in beer tax in order to help community pubs.
Brigid Simmonds, BBPA chief executive, said: "The World Cup has certainly been a benefit to Britain’s beer sector and we can now hope that the market is starting to turn a corner.
"However, while there is some reason for cheer, it has to be noted that beer sales in pubs are still falling and the nation’s pubs need support.
"The government must carefully consider how best to use its Review of Alcohol Taxation to rebalance the tax system, freeze beer tax and support Britain’s pubs, recognising the economic and social contribution of these vital community assets."
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