A second heatwave in a month. What’s not to like? Of course, as schools have shut amid the record June temperatures, some parents may disagree. Ditto food-to-go outlets in city centres as commuters have stayed at home. Some shops without adequate air conditioning have also been forced to close, while reports of fridges and freezers failing have been rife.
But the sweltering conditions are a huge boon for the grocery trade and particularly for Britain’s booze suppliers, contrasting with the perfect storm of rising costs, punitive legislation and health-driven abstinence, whose impact is plain from this week’s survey of Britain’s Biggest Alcohol Brands, in which off-trade sales of the 100 leading brands fell 2.5% in volume and 0.8% (or £100m) in value [NIQ 52 w/e 18 April 2026].
However, as our cover story argues, there are reasons to be optimistic. Add to this latest hot spell the biggest and longest ever World Cup, and the possibility of a deep run into the tournament by England, it could be a soaraway summer, as retailers compete for basket space among fans stocking up ahead of – and during hydration breaks at – the matches.
It’s also clear pockets of growth still exist for suppliers agile enough to spot them, as the standout performance of categories like fruit beer and canned cocktails shows. And none are reaping the rewards more than BuzzBallz. With sales up £73m to £82m this RTD is the UK’s fastest-growing BWS brand (up 827% by value and 952% by volume!) and has soared past rivals to become easily the UK’s biggest RTD brand.
With its lurid liquid and distinctive packaging, BuzzBallz is a brand built for the Instagram generation. Similarly, the success of Guinness and La Vieille Ferme, which have honed in on their tribe and engaged with them on social media, underlines how important this channel is in driving booze sales when cash is tight and moderation is common. Likewise, the success of RTDs is not just about convenience: the entry price point is often lower which is great for trial – you like the RTD, maybe you buy a bottle (even with wine). And finally RTDs are an affordable platform for innovation, which is so vital for driving sales.
Adam Leyland is the Editor-in-Chief of The Grocer
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