Off-trade sales of Murphy’s have surged past £10m, after the Irish stout was reintroduced in the UK last year.
Since rolling out across grocery, wholesale and convenience in March 2025, Murphy’s has amassed value sales of £10.0m on volumes of 39.2k hectolitres, NIQ data shows [52 we 28 February 2026]. The stout now holds a 4.2% value share of the wider category, excluding alcohol-free brands [NIQ 12 we 3 January 2026].
Meanwhile, take-home data shows Murphy’s has been bought by over half a million shoppers since its relaunch last year [Worldpanel by Numerator 52 w/e 22 February 2026].
During the recent Six Nations rugby tournament, Murphy’s activated across grocery to target drinkers of rival stout brands, Heineken UK said. Activity included in-store pallet pre-filled displays and banner dividers and online banner advertising in Tesco.
“Murphy’s has proven there is room in the stout market for other serious players,” a HUK spokeswoman said. “With its sweeter, smooth taste, and a rich history steeped in Cork heritage, Murphy’s is a break from the ordinary for consumers.
“Through exciting PR campaigns, Murphy’s has captured the attention of drinkers, which has already led to over 5% volume share of the stout market in the off-trade – a fantastic result given it’s been in the market for less than a year.”
Meanwhile, across the total trade, Murphy’s volumes were up by more than 1,000%, with the stout now stocked in over 2,000 pubs, HUK revealed, citing NIQ and CGA data.
Murphy’s was “no longer a cult favourite” but a “major player in the stout category”, said HUK on-trade sales director Will Rice.
“Our growth over the past year has exceeded even our most ambitious expectations, and is testament to the strength of the brand itself,” Rice added.
It comes with the stout category continuing to buck wider malaise across beer and cider. The category has added £28.3m (+10.9%) on volumes up 6.9% in the past year [NIQ 52 we 27 December 2025]. By contrast, every other segment aside from low & no-alcohol is in year-on-year volume decline.
Growth in stouts and porters was being driven by new consumers as well as existing shoppers buying more beer, more frequently, Worldpanel consumer insights director James Rhodes said.
“Shoppers are not only coming into the category in greater numbers, but they are buying more frequently and in greater volumes per trip, in what is a real sign of growing enthusiasm among consumers,” he said.
Despite the return of Murphy’s last year, Guinness remains far and away the market leader for stout. The Diageo-owned brand accounts for the top four best-selling stouts by value and holds 84.7% of total stout category share [NIQ].
Guinness was “growing ahead of the market” and attracting over four million buyers per year, Rhodes said. The brand was popular with everyone “from young families to retirees”, he added.
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